Delhi polls: Son of 1984 riots accused Sajjan Kumar gets Congress ticket

In a potentially controversial move, the Congress party has decided to field son of former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, an accused in 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, from the South Delhi constituency of Sangam Vihar. In 2009, under public pressure, the Congress party had barred Kumar (along with Jagdish Tytler, also accused in anti-Sikh riots cases), from contesting Lok Sabha elections. That family connections have yet again influenced ticket distribution is evident from the list of sons, wives, and brothers of controversial Congress leaders who have been chosen by the party to contest in the upcoming assembly elections. The party’s choice of Leela Maderna, wife of former Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna, who is facing charges of murder and kidnapping in the Bhanwari Devi case, is another glaring case in point. Describing the decision to give Sajjan Kumar’s son Jagparvesh Kumar an assembly ticket as a ‘betrayal’ by the Congress party, senior advocate HS Phoolka, who is representing victims in the 1984 riots cases said, “The Congress does not care about the sentiments of the victims. And though the Congress has said that it has denied tickets to those guilty of 1984 riots, it is not true." “It is rewarding family members. It is purely because of Sajjan Kumar [that his family is getting tickets]. Earlier his (Sajjan Kumar’s) brother was given a ticket and he became an MP and now his son has been given a ticket for the assembly elections,” he said. [caption id=“attachment_1233421” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Sajjan Kumar is still facing prosecution for his alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. AP[/caption] Sajjan Kumar is accused in three 1984 riots cases. In August, the Delhi High court admitted CBI’s appeal against a lower court’s acquittal of Sajjan Kumar in a riots case involving the murder of five people in Delhi Cantonment area in November 1984. Kumar is currently facing trial in second case involving the killing of six people in Sultanpuri. And in the Nangloi case, where Kumar is a suspect, the CBI is yet to file a chargesheet. Sajjan Kumar’s son Jagparvesh is a district Congress committee president. His uncle, Ramesh Kumar, is Congress MP from South Delhi. Speaking about his role in the Congress party, Jagparvesh says, “I have grown up watching the Congress. My father began his political career as a Congress party councillor in 1970s and in 1980 he became an MP. I have grown up watching my father and learning from him. My uncle also fought elections and I followed his campaigns closely too. And whatever responsibilities were given to me from the party, I have fulfilled. And in 2004, I was made district president from Badarpur.” Asked if his getting a ticket was not yet another example of the politics of dynasty, Jagparvesh says, “I disagree with this. It is a fact that my father has served the people for the last 35 years and his blessing and guidance will always be with me. But I have made a name for myself and I have worked for the people. I have played an important role in the state Congress and it is based on that I have been chosen as the party’s candidate from Sangam Vihar.” On the question of him being given a ticket even though his father was still facing trial in the 1984 riots cases, Jagparvesh says, “That is not an issue. My father has given his life to the service of the people. And I have got the ticket based on my service to the people…” But Phoolka is not convinced. “What is the contribution to the public or for that matter to the party by Sajjan Kumar’s brother or his son? They have absolutely no standing of their own. It is not on account of merit but purely because of Sajjan Kumar’s clout in the party that they have been given tickets,” says the Supreme Court advocate. Keen to defend the party’s decision to give Sajjan Kumar’s son the ticket, the Delhi Congress insists it is not an example of dynastic politics. “It is not all like that. He is a district party president. He has been working for the party for so many years now. His father doesn’t enjoy any party post. His uncle is an MP but that is different issue. His father is not having any post in the party now,” says Alok Sharma, spokesperson for the Delhi Congress. Asked about the 1984 riots cases against Sajjan Kumar and the message giving a ticket to his son sends out, Sharma said, “The law will take its course.”