Chandigarh:
A political controversy has erupted within the BJP after three of its Delhi Lok Sabha MPs paid a condolence visit to the residence of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar following his death on August 20.
Kumar was convicted in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. The visit by Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, MP from South Delhi; Kamaljeet Sehrawat, MP from West Delhi; and Yogender Chandolia, MP from North West Delhi, drew sharp criticism from senior advocate and BJP leader HS Phoolka, who has represented victims of the 1984 violence for decades.
Following the controversy, BJP National President Nitin Nabin summoned the three MPs and reprimanded them for violating the party’s stated position on the 1984 riots, according to sources.
Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Phoolka denounced the visit and said it was inconsistent with the BJP’s longstanding position of seeking justice for the victims of the 1984 violence.
“Their action is against the party line. The party’s stand has been very clear for the last 42 years. Since this massacre happened, the party has been supporting the victims, standing with the victims, demanding that the guilty should be punished and the victims should be given justice,” Phoolka said.
Phoolka also highlighted the role played by BJP leaders and lawyers in supporting the victims’ legal battle.
“Not only has the BJP been demanding justice, but it actively participated in this fight. In my 42-year struggle, BJP lawyers also appeared for the victims. Arun Jaitley appeared, Ravi Shankar Prasad appeared, and when Madan Lal Khurana was the Chief Minister, he made me an advisor to advise him on these 1984 cases. So, the BJP has constantly fought for justice,” he said.
Phoolka said the three MPs should be held accountable and argued that sympathy in the aftermath of Kumar’s death should not overshadow the suffering of the victims and their families.
The controversy prompted Nabin to seek explanations from the three MPs. Party sources said the MPs had visited Kumar’s residence in their personal capacity.
However, the BJP leadership made it clear that such a personal gesture could not override the party’s established position on the 1984 riots, according to sources.
Welcoming the intervention, Phoolka said: “Thankful to Nabin ji for promptly taking action. But it is not only the party president. The whole party is upset about this. I am surprised. How could they do it? How could they act against the known party line?”
The controversy comes shortly after the BJP criticised Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda over his remarks following Kumar’s death.
Asked whether the BJP was now facing a situation similar to the one involving Hooda, Phoolka rejected the comparison.
“There is absolutely no parallel. None at all. Deepender Hooda belongs to a party that actually carried out this massacre,” he said.
Phoolka alleged that several senior Congress leaders named in connection with the 1984 violence had either been protected or rewarded by the party. He cited Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler and Kamal Nath while making the comparison.
“Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler and Kamal Nath didn’t act on their own. They acted on instructions coming from the PMO, from Rajiv Gandhi’s office,” Phoolka alleged.
He further criticised the Congress for what he described as a failure to hold its leaders accountable.
“The Congress has not only conducted this massacre, but they shielded the guilty and rewarded them. Sajjan Kumar was repeatedly given tickets and made MP three times, his brother was made MP for a fourth time, and Kamal Nath was given senior positions. Did Rahul Gandhi ask Hooda a single question? No senior Congress leader spoke out. Here, the moment our MPs acted out of line, the party president took an immediate stand,” he said.
The BJP has not yet announced any further disciplinary action against the three MPs.
