New Delhi: Sheila Dikshit took charge as Congress’s Delhi chief on Wednesday during an event at Rajiv Bhawan, the party’s state office.
A large gathering of workers and senior leaders was present – including a controversial figure right in the first row. Jagdish Tytler, an accused in the 1984 violence against Sikhs, was present.
Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa alleged that the Congress was trying to “intimidate” witnesses in 1984-related cases by giving Tytler a prominent place.
He claimed the Congress is “afraid as it is aware that Tytler and Kamal Nath would also be jailed” in the cases.
“The Congress wants to send a message to the witnesses that the party high command supports Tytler and nobody should even try to testify against him,” the MLA alleged.
“Since the conviction of Sajjan Kumar, the party is afraid… that the leaders whom it kept safe are now being jailed. By such acts, it is also sending a message to the judiciary and police that nobody should initiate action against them,” Singh alleged.
Jagdish Tytler. Credit: PTI
Union minister and BJP ally Harsimrat Kaur Badal said, “Indira Gandhi to Rajiv Gandhi to Rahul Gandhi, Tytler was their right hand man. It is a clear signal to Sikhs of the country.”
Tytler has been accused of instigating a mob that killed three men who had taken shelter in a gurudwara in north Delhi on November 1, 1984.
Dikshit took over as Delhi Congress chief from Ajay Maken in the presence of a large number of party leaders and workers on Wednesday.
Senior Congress leaders Karan Singh, Janardan Dwivedi, Meira Kumar, PC Chacko, Sandip Dikshit, Ajay Maken among others attended Dikshit’s charge taking ceremony.
(With PTI inputs)