With ruling SAD and AAP attacking Congress over Kamal Nath’s appointment as the general secretary in-charge of Punjab, PCC chief Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said the move will not “adversely impact” party’s prospects in the Assembly elections next year.
He said it is not a “historic blunder at all" while accusing Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Admi Party (AAP) of playing politics on the matter by raking up the issue of 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The former Punjab chief minister also dismissed opposition parties allegations against the senior Congress leader, saying he is an “innocent” man.
“These (allegations against Nath that he was involved in the 1984 riots) are all politics.It is being played up politically and it is very unfair that they are trying to tarnish his (Nath’s) image,” Amarinder said.”These are lies and total lies. Kamal Nath was not involved in anything,” he said.
AAP and SAD have criticised Congress for appointing Nath with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal terming it as “the ultimate insult to Sikhs”.Hitting out at Congress, H S Phoolka, an advocate fighting for the victims of the 1984 riots, had said by appointing Nath, Congress had tried to rub salt into wounds of the victims.
Asked whether Nath’s appointment will hurt the party’s prospects in forthcoming elections, Amarinder asked, “why will it happenIJ”
“There will be no effect. Opposition parties are just making noise over this issue,” he said.”Everyone makes perception (about any person) because of politics. I do not think when a person who has not having anything to do will you throw out someone because of some perception. this is no solution, we will have to stand up for what is right and this man is innocent and I believe him he is innocent," Amarinder said.
On the opposition calling the appointment as the party’s “historic blunder”, Amarinder said, “I don’t think it’s a historic blunder at all. He is a nine-time MP and has been sent to look after here.”
He said Kamal Nath’s name was deliberately dragged by HS Phoolka into the controversy in 2006, but he was exonerated by the Justice Nanavati Commission, which had been constituted by the BJP led NDA government to probe into the anti-Sikh riots. Capt Amarinder added, Justice Rangnath Mishra Commission made no mention of Nath about his alleged involvement in the riots.
The PCC president said, the riots started on October 31. He said, next day he went to Delhi and met the victims for four days till November 4, when it was the Gurparab. He said, all through these four days he met the victims and nobody ever named Nath, while the victims named HKl Bhagat, Dharam Dass Shastri, lalit Maken, Arjan Dass and Sajjan Kumar. He asked, why would the victims not name him if he was involvedIJ
Capt Amarinder said, Phoolka produced two witnesses Mukhtiar Singh and Ajaib Singh before the Nanavati Commission in 2006, after 22 years of the riots. Besides, Sanjay Suri, a journalist also presented himself before the Nanavati Commission. But the versions of Mukhtiar Sigh and Ajaib Singh contradicted with that of Suri and Nanavati Commission, constituted by the BJP led NDA Government, exonerated him.
The former Chief Minister said, Kamal Nath was the General Secretary in charge of Delhi in 1998 when Ms Shiela Dixit formed the government. The local bodies were also swept by the Congress under Kamal Nath’s stewardship. This could not be possible without the support of Sikhs. No Sikh in Delhi ever complained against him, except Phoolka who has his own axe to grind, he said.