The conviction of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots has opened up the wounds of various communal riots that have rocked country in the past. Mr Kumar has been given life imprisonment by Delhi High Court for his role in the 84 riot. The verdict comes after victim waited for 34 years for the justice. The riots broke out after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Several Congress leaders were alleged to be involved in it.
Politics over verdict have also begun with BJP targeting Congress. But the fact is that both the parties are responsible for two most of the horrific communal riots country witnessed since impendence. If Congress was responsible for 1984 Sikh riots, the role of BJP and its leaders is well documented in the 2002 Gujarat riot. Even the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was Chief Minister of Gujarat at that time, was questioned. In 2012, Modi was cleared of complicity in the violence by Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Supreme Court of India. But many believed that he would have done more to stop the riots. The conviction of Sajjan Kumar gives hope to the other victim of communal riots. Though it’s a delayed justice but still to see Mr Kumar being punished for his role in killing of innocent people will reinstate faith of people in the judicial system. The thousands of people who lost their loved ones in the 2002 anti-Muslim Gujarat riots will be hoping that they too will get justice soon.