1984 Delhi Sikh Genocide - Affidavits

Affidavit submitted before the Nanavati Commission

I, Swami Agniwesh Disciple of Swami Dayanand Saraswati aged 61yrs. R/o 7, Jantar Mantar Road, New Delhi-1, do hereby solemnly affirm and declare as under:-

1. That on 31st Oct.'84, evening I heard the news of assassination of Indira Gandhi. Thereafter I heard sporadic news of Sikhs being roughed up on the main roads, particularly the area near South Extension, AIIMS, Sujjan Singh Park etc.

2. That I immediately contacted Sh. Chander Shekhar, President of Janata Party and some other prominent influential person and exchanged views as to what could be done in the grim situation developing in the city.

3. That Jaya Jaitly came to 7 Jantar Mantar Road on the morning of 1st Nov. '84. From the terrace we watched smoke rising all over the city from the properties set on fire, Marina Hotel in Connought Place was burning badly and so were a large number of taxi stands owned by Sikhs.

4. That I went to see Sh. Chander Shekhar, President of Janta Party. Sh. Chander Shekhar tried to phone Lt. Governor, Police Commissioner, Home Minister & the President of India for over one hour but could not get through to anyone. In the afternoon of 1st Nov. some of my friends, all worried and deeply concerned about the vicious turn of events came to see me at my room at 7 Jantar Mantar Road, New Delhi.

Mr. Ravi Chopra, an environmentalist, Mr. Alok Mukhopadhyaya- rural health activist and others were there – all very agitated at the gruesome killing of Sikhs in Delh. Spontaneously, we got into a jeep and drove through streets. In Lajpat Nagar I – near the crossing a Sikh shop was being burnt and goods ransacked in broad day light. I could not control myself.

I jumped from the jeep and ran straight into the burning shop at the crossing. I confronted the unruly mob who on seeing my saffron robes at first thought I was one of their own. During my moves in the city I was appalled by the large scale destruction & killings which was taking place. I did not see any police activity or fire brigades anywhere to control the mobs or fires raging all over the city.

5. That on 2nd Nov.'84, I and about 60/70 like minded persons took out a "Amity March" in Lajpat Nagar, Ashram Area. At some places we were received well but at some other places we had to face hostile mobs. The shops and houses of the Sikhs were still smouldering - Fire Brigade and police were conspicuous by their absence.

6. That on 3rd Nov.'84, I toured the worst effected colonies like Trilokpuri etc. The carnage was mind boggling. Half burnt bodies were still lying scattered. Some had been mutilated by gorging their eyes. Some had smouldering tyres around their neck. The houses had been completely destroyed & burnt. The destruction was very wide spread and awful.

7. What struck me most was the complete absence of police & other law enforcing agencies throughout this period of carnage. For three days the city, its Sikh population was at the mercy of murdering mobs and received no help from anywhere. The destruction and killings were carried out with impunity – without any fear of intervention by law enforcing authorities. The victims tales of horrors were proof of to what depth of degradation the city had sunk.

 

 

 

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