DSGMC Calls for Death Penalty in 1984 Sikh Riots Case

DSGMC General Secretary Jagdip Singh Kahlon expressed disappointment that Congress leader Sajjan Kumar wasn't sentenced to death in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. Members of the Sikh community protested outside the court, emphasizing the need for maximum punishment, as justice has been delayed for over 40 years.

Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee General Secretary Jagdip Singh Kahlon voiced sorrow on Tuesday over Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's evasion of the death sentence in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. Speaking to journalists, Kahlon asserted that justice might have been better served had Kumar received life imprisonment.

"It's disappointing that Sajjan Kumar did not receive the death penalty," Kahlon remarked. "A death sentence would have brought some solace, but even a life sentence now, after 41 years, signifies justice. I honor the court's decision," he added. Concurrently, Sikh leader Gurlad Singh led protests demanding a harsher sentence for Kumar outside the court.

Protesters were vocal about demanding a death penalty for Kumar, previously convicted for the Saraswati Vihar murders during the riots. Gurlad Singh urged maximum sentencing, stressing that over four decades had elapsed since the tragic events, and it's high time justice is served.

Gurlad Singh declared during the protest, "The phrase 'justice delayed is justice denied' stands true today. It's been four decades, and we can only accept a death penalty for Sajjan Kumar. The 1984 riots qualify as 'rarest of the rare' due to the alleged Congress-orchestrated genocide." Singh urged for closure and justice for victims' families, emphasizing the community's ongoing grief over their loss.

Furthermore, Gurlad Singh remains a key petitioner in the Supreme Court's review of Sikh riots cases, wherein an SIT was constituted by the court in 2016. (ANI)