Jagdish Tytler joins Cong's 'symbolic protest' at India Gate against crackdown on students

The 1984 anti-Sikh riots case accused Jagdish Tytler on Monday joined the 'symbolic protest' led by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi at the India Gate against police action during students' protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act in Jamia Milia Islamia in the national capital and the Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh. Congress leader Tytler is accused of leading a mob in the 1984 Pul Bangash case in which three Sikhs were killed.

The protest, which started at 4 pm under her leadership, will continue till 6 pm. Sitting on the protest along with a slew of other Congress leaders, Priyanka was holding a placard, which reads: "Stop attacks on young students" while other states "not lathi and shooting, give us employment".

The other key Congress leaders who joined in the protest were KC Venugopal, AK Antony, PL Punia, Ahmed Patel and Randeep Surjewala.

"This is a government that has attacked the rights of youths and students of the country. That is why Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior Congress leaders have decided to sit on a symbolic protest at the India Gate from 4 pm for the next 2 hours," said Congress spokesperson Surjewala.

The protest comes in a day after several students and cops sustained injuries in a protest in Jamia Nagar area while they were protesting against the citizenship law.

The protesters had set the DTC buses on fire near Bharat Nagar area on Sunday after demonstrations turned violent. Protestors also vandalised a fire tender that was sent to douse the fire, injuring two firemen inside the vehicle.

Last month, a special court in Delhi pulled up the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for delaying the investigation in 1984 anti-Sikh riot case.Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Harjyot Singh Bhalla reprimanded the investigating agency over the slow probe in the case and delay in recording statements of controversial arms dealer -- Abhishek Verma against Tyler in connection with the case.The court sought a report from the Superintendent of Police (SP) of CBI regarding its observation and slated the matter for hearing to December 20.

Earlier, the court had directed the CBI to expedite investigations into the case in which Tytler was given clean chit for his alleged role.

The case against Tytler was one of the three cases the Nanavati Commission had ordered to be reopened by the CBI in 2005.According to official records, about 2,800 Sikhs were killed during riots across India, including 2,100 in Delhi, after the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards.

( With inputs from ANI )