It appears that pressure mounted by some activists on Congress MP Jagdish Tytler, an accused in the Sikh riot, has worked as the controversial leader has announced that he won’t receive the Maulana Jauhar Award that was honoured to him.
All hell had broken when last week Tytler’s name cropped up in the list. He was expected to turn up at the India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi on December 10 to receive the award with other famed social activists, including seasoned Urdu journalist Zafar Agha and Sanjay Bhatt, Gujarat IPS officer and others.
His nomination sparked heated debate in the activists circle with many being outraged over the mere presence of his name as one of the nominees. Tytler, a controversial leader representing Old Delhi for long, has been accused of playing role in anti-Sikh pogrom in Delhi following the assassination of Indira Gandhi, India’s powerful and influential Prime Minister, by her Sikh security guard. Many Sikhs lost their lives in the ethnic cleansing that took place after her killing.
For long the Sikhs had been demanding action against leaders who instigated the marauding crowds to kill and burn Sikhs’ houses. However, Tytler has always rejected these allegations by saying that no FIR has been filed against him in the Sikh killings. Till now no other big fishes have been punished.
This time too when Tytler’s name was nominated many people, including Agha and Bhatt, made it clear that they would boycott the award ceremony. Initially the organizer raised their hands up on the whole issue. It was then that letters too were written to other awardees trying to convince them that such a move would be an insult to freedom fighter. These moves turned out to be positive one with Tytler pulling out.
But the million dollar question is: Why did the organizer nominate a controversial leader for such a prestigious award? Was there any political angles attached to it?
No comments:
Post a Comment