HS Phoolka accuses Sonia Gandhi of distorting 1984 riots facts in her book

Senior lawyer HS Phoolka, who has been fighting a legal battle for the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots for four decades, has strongly condemned the claims recorded in Sonia Gandhi's new book. Interacting with state media head Vineet Joshi in Chandigarh, he alleged that the book distorts historical facts and wrongly gives a clean chit to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the Gandhi family.

Phoolka rejected the claim in the book that described the 1984 violence as a Hindu-Sikh clash triggered by public anger. He said that this carnage was systematically orchestrated by Congress workers and people associated with them, while the police took no steps to stop it.

Challenging Sonia Gandhi, Phoolka asked her to prove even a single incident of communal violence or public flare-up inside Delhi on the afternoon of October 31, 1984, after the shooting of Indira Gandhi. He said that Delhi was peaceful that afternoon, and this planned violence was initiated at 5 pm with an attack on then-President Giani Zail Singh's convoy outside AIIMS.

Phoolka also objected to the book attributing the delay in deploying the army to then-Army Chief General A.S. Vaidya's apprehensions regarding Sikh soldiers. Citing the Justice Misra Commission records, he said that the Army Chief's job was to provide troops upon requisition, while deployment and shoot-at-sight orders fell within the jurisdiction of the civil administration.

He stated that around 6,000 army personnel were present in Delhi from the night of October 31 to the morning of November 1, but they were confined inside cantonment barracks. According to Phoolka, if the army had been deployed in time, the lives of more than 2,000 Sikhs could have been saved.

Phoolka questioned why no action was taken against any official responsible for the delay in army deployment if Rajiv Gandhi had no responsibility. He alleged that leaders and officials named by victims were rewarded with election tickets, ministerial posts, and promotions. He demanded that Sonia Gandhi either provide documentary evidence for her claims or publicly issue an unconditional apology.

Key developments

• HS Phoolka termed claims in Sonia Gandhi's new book as tampering with historical facts
• Rejected the claim that 1984 violence was sudden public anger, calling it a planned operation
• Disputed claims regarding delay in army deployment, citing Justice Misra Commission documents
• Demanded Sonia Gandhi present evidence for her claims or tender an unconditional apology