Making 1984 riots a poll issue, 12 AAP leaders plan hunger strike

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party is planning to strongly raise the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as a major poll issue in Punjab with its entire state leadership of nearly a dozen leaders set to sit on a daylong hunger strike in Mohali on Thursday.

AAP leader HS Phoolka told ET in Delhi that AAP will expose that BJP-Akali Dal and Congress are in “tacit understanding” to delay the probe against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler beyond the Punjab elections.

“The CBI under Centre’s directions has last month insisted for four months’ time from the court in Delhi to complete its probe against Tytler and get in touch with a key witness in Canada who is freely speaking to media. This has been done deliberately to delay the matter till February and beyond Punjab elections. All this is part of understanding between the BJP-Akali Dal and Congress in Punjab with the former wishing not to embarrass the latter,” Phoolka said. He is the lawyer fighting the riot cases against Tytler and Sajjan Kumar.

Arvind Kejriwal made the same accusation in Punjab on Tuesday, saying “Congress, BJP and Akali Dal are together” in saving the culprits of 1984.

“Nothing can be expected from the Congress but why is the Akali Dal remaining silent on the matter and not protesting against the same. AAP will expose this,” Phoolka said. He will lead the hunger strike along with other AAP state leaders.