Despite indicting several "local" Congress leaders, the Nanavati Commission, which probed the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, has absolved the party, saying there was no evidence suggesting that Rajiv Gandhi or any other high-ranking leader had "suggested or organised" attacks on the minority Sikh community.
The Commission, whose voluminous report was tabled in both Houses of Parliament on Monday, noted that "whatever acts were done, were done by the local Congress leaders and workers, and they appear to have done so for their personal political reasons".
While pointing the finger of suspicion at several Congress leaders, including Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar, Dharam Dass Shastri and H K L Bhagat, the Commission said the local leaders "do not appear to have done so (incited and participated in riots) purely for personal reasons."
It said that the "local leaders" of the Congress appear to have taken the "help of their followers and supporters in inciting or committing those acts" of riots.
"If they (riots) were the acts of individuals only, then the killing of Sikhs and looting of properties of Sikhs would not have been on such a large scale," pointed out the Commission, set up May 2000.
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The commission said the slogans raised during the riots also indicated that some of the people who constituted the mobs were Congress workers or sympathisers.
"It was suggested that Rajiv Gandhi had told one of his officials that Sikhs should be taught a lesson," the report said, adding "the Commission finds no substance in that allegation. The evidence in this behalf is very vague.
"It is also not believable that Rajiv Gandhi would have stated so to an official assuming that some conversation took place between him and that official. It does not become clear that in respect of which subject the conversation had taken place and in which context Rajiv Gandhi is stated to have said 'yes, we must teach them a lesson'."
The Commission said the evidence suggests that Rajiv Gandhi had "showed much concern about what was happening in Delhi. He had issued an appeal for remaining calm and maintaining communal harmony."
In view of the complaints received by him that people were not able to contact the police on telephone No 100, Gandhi had immediately called some police officers and told them to take immediate action so that anyone who wanted to contact the police could do so.
"He (Rajiv Gandhi) had even visited the affected areas on the night of November one, 1984," the report noted.
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