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Govt willing to probe Delhi riots again

Bowing to the demand from a large number of members, particularly those belonging to the minorities and the Left parties, Home Minister L K Advani, today announced in the Rajya Sabha that the government would consider setting up another commission of inquiry to go into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The issue was raised by Kuldip Nayyar during question hour pointing out that thousands of people were killed during riots but none of those responsible for the mayhem had been punished.

Initially, responding to a supplementary by Bharatiya Janata Party's K R Malkani, Advani said he did not think that appointing another commission of inquiry would serve any useful purpose.

Malkani, however, pointed out that if there could be three inquiries into the mysterious death of Subhash Chandra Bose, there was nothing wrong in ordering another probe into the 1984 riots.

Members belonging to the CPI, the CPI-M, the SP, the Akali Dal and the TDP supported the demand. A hesitant Advani then said the government was willing to accept the demand if there was total unanimity of the house over the issue.

He made it clear that the government did not want anybody to accuse it to be taking the step for political reasons.

H Hanumanthappa of the Congress said the home minister should move a motion to secure the consent of the House. This was, however, contested by Gurudas Gupta of the CPI and others who asserted that there was no need to do so.

Advani then said that though there was no unanimity, but only a broad consensus on the issue, the government would consider setting up the commission of inquiry.

UNI

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