Sikhs accuse Govt of hushing up Chatisinghpora massacre probe

Accusing the government of hushing up the probe into Chatisighpora massacre, local Gurduwara Prabhandak Committee today threatened of agitation in case their demand for probe into the killings is not met.

The Sikh community gathered in a Gurduwara in Chatisinghpora village of Anantnag district to pay homage to 35 Sikhs who fell to the bullets of gunmen dressed in army fatigues on the evening of March 20 in the year 2000, when then US President Bill Clinton was on a visit to New Delhi.

   

“We don’t know who was behind the killings. It has been 18 years and no inquiry was initiated into the incident. This has made us apprehensive that the culprits are being shielded,” said Rechpal Singh, youth secretary local Gurduwara Prabhandak Committee.

He said that they fail to understand that if inquiries have been ordered in other such incidents why not in this case.

“If government is clean and has nothing to hide then what is stopping it from probing the incident. By creating impediments into the probe, the government is itself creating suspicion among the people,” said Singh.

He threatened of launching a stir if probe is not ordered and culprits punished.

“Even Pathribal case which is interlinked with Chatisinghpora was probed. Though justice continues to elude the Pathribal victims and those killed subsequently in Brakpora during protest demonstration, but at least truth has come to fore that who the culprits in these incidents were. In our case, truth has been concealed for unknown reasons and no inquiry was conducted at all into the incident either by state or central government,” lamented Ishpal Singh, member of the committee.

He said that their repeated pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Singh blamed both state and central government of hushing up the case.

“When the incident took place, BJP-led NDA was ruling in the centre and NC in the state. Now BJP is in power again in the centre and is sharing power in the state with PDP. So we appeal both BJP and PDP to immediately order inquiry into the case,” he said.

During the remembrance meet, Sikhs including men and women performed Kirthan, Kathan and delivered religious speeches.

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