Front Page
A photograph of Nirpreet Kaur, tears rolling down her cheeks tells the story of today’s newsmakers — she’s one of the Delhi high court petitioners in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. ‘Congress Convict’ is The Indian Express’s damning Page 1 headline and an accompanying one says it all: “‘Cop gave matchbox…Sajjan called us snakes”’. When Kaur was 16, she saw her father burnt alive by what the court called a mob enveloped by “communal frenzy”. The man who led it, Sajjan Kumar, has finally been convicted 34 years later.
It is recollections like Kaur’s, of the victims’ families, that bring out the importance of the conviction and finds space across newspapers. For Jagdish Kaur, whose husband, son, and cousins were killed, the court’s judgment gives her a “little bit of relief”, reports The Telegraph.
Editorial comments in The Hindu and Hindustan Times see a ray of hope in this judgment which overturned the lower court’s acquittal of Kumar: it has “reignited hope for substantial justice,” writes The Hindu, while HT edit reminds everyone, that, “Hundreds of cases still await adjudication and the families of the victims can now draw solace from the fact that it could be their turn to celebrate next.”
Equally important, Express dwells on that part of the judges’ verdict which singles out what they call “crimes against humanity” in mass killings ranging from Partition to 1984, Gujarat 2002, up to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots: common to these was “the targeting of minorities and attacks spearheaded by the dominant political actors being facilitated by the law enforcement agencies.” The court points to a gaping hole in our legislature saying India has neither defined “crimes against humanity” nor “genocide” in its criminal law.
The Hindu’s editorial welcomes this observation: “…the issue is worth positive consideration.”
Absent across front pages — with the exception of The Telegraph — is mention of newly sworn-in CM of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath’s alleged involvement in the riots, but The Times of India, HT and Express put out the case for and against him on the inside pages. Express quotes extensively from the Nanavati Commission report on the riots in, ‘Eyewitness testimonies named Kamal Nath…’, but Nanavati didn’t find enough to indict him.
The Telegraph highlights Supreme Court advocate H.S. Phoolka, who appeared for one of the victims, claiming that there exists even “stronger evidence…” against Nath.
Nath also makes news for his waiver of farmer’s loans — his first act upon becoming chief minister. But the TOI’s front page flap reminds us that the reality of loan waivers can be unglamorous and unhelpful. In ‘When loan waiver hype meets the farm reality’, it writes that the waiver process is sometimes faulty, that farmers want to be equipped with alternative methods of farming, and most resoundingly, that “waivers are not the long-term solution”.
J&K
The politically volatile march in Srinagar Monday which could have been the other big story of the day, was kept under control as “J&K Police foil separatists’ march”, writes The Hindu, referring to the planned protest after seven civilians were killed in Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
“The Pulwama incident”, writes The Indian Express in its editorial, “…will feed the narrative of repression and brutality against Kashmiris that is the staple of militant and separatist propaganda, which in turn will feed the spiral of violence.” It began by saying, “Each time a civilian dies at the hands of the security forces in Kashmir, a bridge breaks irreparably between the Valley and the rest of the country.”
Aadhaar
The Economic Times on Page 1 leads with the Cabinet’s move to allow voluntary Aadhaar seeding with phone numbers and bank accounts, “Once these are approved, Aadhaar can be used voluntarily by banks and telecom companies to authenticate new customers,” says the report.
Prime Time
The conviction of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 riots was also the lead story throughout Monday on TV news and dominated the evening jousts.
Some Hindi news channels like NDTV India, Zee News revisited the ‘the crimes against humanity’ with footage of the violence in Delhi while English news settled for the easier option of a discussion on Kumar’s conviction and the Congress.
Republic TV looked at whether Rahul Gandhi should take a stand on newly elected MP CM Kamal Nath, who allegedly played a role in the riots. Anchor Arnab Goswami said, “It is the Congress leader Sajjan Kumar who has been found guilty of 1984 massacre and (Rahul) now has selected Kamal Nath who is accused of taking part in the same riots.”
Senior journalist Ashutosh said: “The man (Kumar) is roaming free for the last 34 years. Why did it take so long?” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “This is a very grave issue. The court has said that Sajjan Kumar received political patronage.”
Even as Times Now began its debate, it broadcast what TOI called on page 11, the ‘sensational’ news that Priyanka Gandhi was writing a book ‘Against Outrage’ and making her political debut ‘one month before’ elections. Wonder if anyone paid attention to the debate?
Anchor Navika Kumar interviewed Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal about the involvement of Congress in 1984 riots.
Badal thanked the PM for the verdict: “The wheels of justice have finally moved and we have to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this (Sajjan Kumar to be found guilty by the court).”
She accused Congress of using CBI and Delhi Police for clearing evidence regarding 1984 riots. She added, “The Gandhis have not apologised for the massacre in last 34 years and instead they have made Kamal Nath the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. Kamal Nath was present there instigating the mobs.”
Aaj Tak looked elsewhere with an interview of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti by anchor Anjana Om Kashyap
Asked about whether J&K’s governor had been under pressure from the Centre to dissolve the assembly rather than entertain her chance of forming a government, Mehbooba replied, “The governor’s action was based upon what was dictated by the central government. He was under pressure.”
Did she support militants, Kashyap demanded. Mufti said that “killing militants does not solve any problems. If the government kills four militants, the number of militants increases to eight. It doubles.”
The quote of the day
On Facebook, actor Naseeruddin Shah has criticised Indian captain Virat Kolhi’s on field behaviour. Quoted on page 1 of TOI, he says: “(Kohli) is not only the world’s best batsman but also the world’s worst behaved player. His cricketing brilliance pales beside his arrogance and bad manners. And I have no intention of leaving the country by the way.”