1984 riots accused Jagdish Tytler named permanent invitee to Delhi Congress; BJP pans move

In a shocking development on Thursday, Sonia Gandhi appointed 1984 anti-Sikh riots accused Jagdish Tytler as a permanent invitee to the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee. The Congress president also formed the Executive Committee and named members to the Communication department, Doctor's Cell, Booth Management Committee and Disciplinary Committee of the party's Delhi unit. Apart from Tytler, former Union Ministers Ajay Maken, Kapil Sibal and Krishna Tirath and ex-MPs Sandeep Dikshit and Kirti Azad are also permanent invitees to the DPCC.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya took umbrage at Tytler's elevation in the Congress ranks. Taking to Twitter, he stated, "Sikh lives don't matter for the Congress party? Is Punjab listening"? 

Alleged involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots

A senior leader of Congress, Tytler has served as a Union Minister in the past. However, he has faced a barrage of accusations since the last three decades for his alleged involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Along with Sajjan Kumar, he was another mainstream Congress leader who was accused of leading mobs to kill Sikhs. While the Nanavati Commission hinted at his role in the riots, successive Congress governments did not show the inclination to press charges against him.

In fact, he was even inducted as a minister after the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power at the Centre. During the second term of the UPA government, the CBI gave a clean chit to Tytler. But a Sessions Court rejected the closure report and ordered an investigation into his role. 

Presence at Congress events triggers row

While there has been public pressure on Congress to cut off ties with Tytler, it has often accommodated him on a public platform. In January 2019, Congress faced a lot of criticism from both BJP as well as Shiromani Akali Dal for giving a front-row seat to Tytler during the ceremony of former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit taking over as the Delhi Congress chief. However, she defended his presence at the event. On the other hand, Tytler claimed innocence, citing that the charges against him had not been proved. 

Stoking another controversy, the anti-Sikh riots accused joined the protest of the Congress party at India Gate on December 16, 2019. The symbolic protest was held to condemn the actions of the Delhi Police in Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University as well as against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was one of the prominent leaders sitting on a dharna on this occasion.