New Delhi, December 17: On the day when three Congress leaders were being sworn-in as chief ministers of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, a verdict by the Delhi high court in connection with a case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots snatched the limelight from mega events in the Hindi heartland. The court on Monday found Congress leader Sajjan Kumar guilty of the murder of five people following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

When Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot were taking oath as chief minister and deputy chief minister of Rajasthan respectively, the court delivered a historic verdict which shifted all attention from the swearing-in ceremony. The judgment assumes significance in the wake of allegations against another Congress leader Kamal Nath, who is set to become new chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. Armed with the verdict, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shrimoni Akali Dal (SAD) went all guns blazing against the Congress. In Emotional Verdict Convicting Sajjan Kumar, Delhi HC Judge Says 'They Were Mass Killings Engineered by Political Actors'.

Union finance minister and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said the conviction was "a delayed vindication of justice". "Justice for the victims of 1984 was buried by the Congress. The NDA restored fairness and accountability... The Congress and the Gandhi family legacy will continue to pay for the sins of the 1984 riots," Jaitley tweeted. The Congress, he said, had repeatedly tried to cover up the truth. "But today, he (Sajjan Kumar) has been convicted."

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra demanded Congress president Rahul Gandhi's resignation, saying the man involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots (Kamal Nath) has been made the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. Welcoming the verdict, Akali Dal leader and Delhi MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the next in the list after Sajjan Kumar were Jagdish Tytler and Kamal Nath. Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal echoed similar views and said: "lt is Sajjan Kumar today, it will be Jagdish Tytler tomorrow then Kamal Nath and eventually the Gandhi family."

The Congress planned to display a show of strength and unity among opposition parties at swearing-in ceremonies in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh as a host of leaders of opposition parties were invited for the events. However, the verdict in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case overshadowed the Congress' attempt.

Reacting to the judgment, Congress MP from Punjab, Sunil Jakhar said: "No one is above law. Those involved in this crime should be given strictest punishment. Law has taken its own course. It'll strengthen people's trust in the law. Any person who has been convicted in such cases should quit their political life."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 17, 2018 02:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).