Tejinder Pal Singh Nalwa, is himself a lawyer and social activist. For his wife, Kiran Jyoti Nanda, it has been over 30 years fighting justice for her family. She despite being an Australian resident went back to India to support her 85-year-old mother to fight against the people responsible for the killing of thousands of innocent Sikhs.
Conversation starts:
Preetinder: On telephone line, we have Tejinder Pal Singh Nalwa, who is a lawyer and Social Activist. TPS Nalwa has faced the trauma of killing of his in-laws family in 1984. The aftermath of violence erupted after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, then prime minister of India. Mr. Nalwa welcome to SBS Punjabi
TPS Nalwa: Responds with greetings “SATSRIAKAL”
Preetinder: In tragic and barbaric circumstances, your wife’s father and two brothers burnt alive. The momentary lapse rerolled in an everlasting blot on the history.
TPS Nalwa: My in-laws family, including my father-in-law who served in Indian Army, fought 1962 war for the country and his two sons, Jatinder Singh, who was studying to become a Doctor and Parvinder Singh was starting small business to support their middle class family, became victims of Anti Sikh Genocide of Raj Nagar, Palam Colony, Delhi. They suffered a lot of torture and barbarism from the Anti-Sikh mob. My father Late Mr Lal Singh and his sons Late Jatinder Singh and Parminder Singh had their heads ramped with stones and then they were burnt alive on 2nd Nov 1984. It took 22 days to lodge even an F.I.R complaint as the Local Police stations refused to lodge the F.I.R and my in-laws had to pay the bribe for lodging F.I.R.
Thanks to people living in the immediate vicinity, that majority of Sikhs were saved due to their kind efforts as they came to protect the orchestrated 1984 Anti Sikh Genocide.
My mother-in-law had the support of her husband’s colleagues from the Army to file the F.I.R in time after a lot of struggle. It has been 30 years her family fighting justice. My wife, despite being Australia Resident went back to support her 85-year-old mother to fight against the people responsible for the 1984 Anti Sikh Genocide. Such a shame, that an old victim ladies spend three hours to reach court to give witness evidence but denied by delaying the court proceedings under the pressure of the Indian Government.
The members of Sikh family who were stoned and then burnt alive in New Delhi in Nov 1984. Source: Photo TPS Nalwa
TPS Nalwa: In Delhi zone, Gobindpuri, Palam Colony, Mongolpuri, Trilokpuri, Nangloi, Bhogal, Sultanpuri. And would you believe, there’re more than 22 widows from one family from Sagarpur suburb.
It is such irony of fate that the community which fought for Indian independence became the victim in its own country. Families of Sikhs who fought for Indian independence have been living in ‘Widow Colonies’. Old ladies who live in these colonies were young girls and newly married when they lost their husbands in daylight. These windows are living on their own, fighting the fate, struggling without any support either from Sikh groups or any governments till date.
The Sikh leaders have also been responsible for our situation on account that they are selling evidence to gain political positions, regardless, that actual fight has been missing.
Tejinder Pal Singh Nalwa at SBS's Melbourne Studios. Source: Photo Preetinder Grewal
TPS Nalwa: There have been so many inquiry commissions appointed over a period of time including Jain Commission, Nanavati Commission, Mishra Commission. To us, these commissions look like ‘Political Judicial Shops’. These commissions are only eyewash and tactics to delay the evidence for as long as 30 plus years so that victims die eventually or become financially broke.
There are plenty of weird questions asked to witness ‘what clothes killers were wearing’. It is strange that we don’t remember what we wore the other day, how can we remember the killer’s clothing when we are trying to save our lives.
The women, for e.g. my mother in law Jaspal Kaur tried her best to save her husband who was poured kerosene on and was lit with fire. The question is whether she will save her husband or will identify the colour of the clothes of the accused.
There is an attempt to make witness either compromise or die eventually or delay justice so that all its witnesses will eventually die.
The fight is not to get justice as we know that there is nexus between judiciary, executive and political administration.
The intention is missing to punish the guilty. The people in part house apologized like in Turkey or Germany. However, there is none in the Indian political system to apologize. We also know that we will not get justice but we don’t want that we should be remembered as a generation who never fought for justice. A generation should not be ashamed of fighting a war with no hope of justice.
Preetinder: Governments have been coming and going but nothing has been concrete. Do you think the Modi Government will be able to do justice to the victims of 1984?
TPS Nalwa: Mr Modi might be able to deliver! Delhi Government led by Arvind Kejriwal has also initiated Special Investigation Team. Even Prime Minister Modi at New York Square admitted that Sikhs have big Role in Indian Independence, Ex-Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh apologized on behalf of Congress-I party previously. Now, there is a hope that Prime Minister Mr. Modi will be able to deliver justice. We hope to get justice, but unless we get justice it will be still a Hope.
Preetinder: During the 1984 Sikh Massacre Mr Narshima Rao was India’s Home Minister. If the State was responsible, what are the reasons and why there was no case against the Indian Government as it failed to protect its own people?
TPS Nalwa: Very well said as we are already drafting a petition making Government of India as a party to the crime and all the police station will be made a party for inaction. I won’t disclose anything at this stage but yes, we are working on that line of front.
Preetinder: TPS Nalwa thanks for your time today!!
