New Delhi: Ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh and Punjab elections in 2017, the appointment of Kamal Nath as Congress general secretary and party in-charge of Punjab and Haryana has stirred a controversy.
Soon after his name was announced, protests broke out in Punjab over his alleged role in 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attacked the Congress for appointing Nath as the party general secretary and in-charge of Punjab, asking Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh if he has absolved Nath for his alleged involvement in 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
"Capt Amrinder shud state his stand on Kamal Nath. Does Capt absolve Kamal Nath?," Kejriwal tweeted.
Kejriwal also questioned Centre's move to reopen 75 cases of anti-Sikh riots in Delhi and some other states. He claimed that the Centre set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) only to prevent Aam Aadmi Party from forming an effective probe panel.
AAP is set to contest assembly polls in Punjab, the first time it is contesting a state election after its landslide victory in Delhi in 2015.
Apart from Punjab, the 69-year-old Nath will also look after Haryana. He is the senior most MP in the current Lok Sabha having won from his pocket borough of Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh nine times.
Meanwhile, a Home Ministry official said Centre-appointed SIT will re-investigate around 75 cases of 1984 riots in Delhi and some other states, a decision that comes months ahead of the assembly elections in Punjab.
A total of 3,325 people were killed in the riots. Delhi alone accounted for 2,733 deaths while the rest occurred in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states. Delhi Police had closed 241 cases citing lack of evidence.
The Justice Nanavati Commission had recommended reopening of only four of the 241 cases closed by police but BJP wanted re-investigation of all the other 237 cases.
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