No charges, FIR against me in 1984 riots case: Kamal Nath after taking oath as MP CM

After the BJP demanded action against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath for his alleged involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Congress leader said there was no FIR filed against him in the case.

Newly-sworn in Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath waves at the crowd during his swearing-in-ceremony, in Bhopal. PTI Photo

BHOPAL: After the BJP demanded action against Kamal Nath for his alleged involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Congress leader, who took oath on Monday as the 18th chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, said there was no FIR filed against him in the case. Hours after his swearing-in ceremony, Nath said the BJP was raking up the issue because he took oath as chief minister today.  "I took oath today...I had taken oath several times (in the past), but none said anything then. There is no case against me, there is no FIR or charge sheet against me. I was also in-charge of (the party affairs in) Delhi," Kamal Nath said. "None raised the issue when I was the general secretary of the Congress. Today, that issue is being raised. You all understand what politics is there in it," he added. Earlier in the day, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Congress should take action against its another senior leader Kamal Nath who was also allegedly involved in the riots. He said this after the conviction of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by the Delhi High Court. The riots, in which thousands of Sikhs were killed, broke out after the assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Another Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will have to answer why Kamal Nath was sworn in as the Madhya Pradesh chief minister Monday. Kamal Nath has always denied any role in the riots against Sikhs. Referring to the verdict of Delhi High Court against Sajjan Kumar, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said: "It is an irony that the verdict has come on a day when a Congress chief minister, who is held culpable by the Sikh community, is taking oath." BJP spokesperson Tejinder Pal Singh Bagga, who is sitting on a hunger strike protest Nath being named as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, said they will appeal in the apex court for death sentence to Kumar. Defending Kamal Nath, President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Sunil Kumar Jakhar said the Congress leader’s name never figured in the list of those involved in the riots. Kapil Sibal also brought up the issue of the 2002 riots in Gujarat and alleged that a number of BJP leaders including PM Narendra Modi were named in the cases. “Charity should begin at home... the BJP should not give the verdict a political colour or it will damage them the most," he said.