JALANDHAR: A US-based Sikh human rights group lodged a criminal complaint against film star Amitabh Bachchan with Australia’s commonwealth director of public prosecutions for “inciting, participating, conspiring, aiding, abetting and carrying out organized attacks on the Sikh population of India in November 1984″.
At present, Big ‘B’ is in Australia for shooting of Hollywood movie – Great Gatsby – costarring Leonardo DiCaprio, and to receive an honorary degree from Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane.
The complaint was made by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a US-based human rights organization; National 1984 Victims Justice & Welfare Society and All India Sikh Students Federation, on behalf of widows, victims and survivors of the November 1984 Sikh genocide. SFJ is already pursuing a criminal complaint against Union minister Kamal Nath in a US federal court and order had been reserved on it by the court.
As per attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to SFJ, the criminal complaint against Bachchan charged him for allegedly giving “murderous calls – Blood for Blood / Blood stains of Indira Ji must reach the homes of Sikhs – on October 31, 1984, after which widespread, systematic and organized attacks were unleashed against innocent Sikhs”.
When questioned why earlier there had been not much noise about Amitabh’s role in the ’84 pogrom, Pannun wrote back to TOI, “There are many eye witnesses available who are ready to testify once the case is in court. Because of Amitabh’s proximity with Rajiv Gandhi and Congress (I), his role like many others was never investigated.” He said, “The slogan once raised by Bachchan – Blood For Blood – was used throughout India. The witnesses will be testifying if they are called upon in the court proceedings,” he said.
“Also, the first ever judicial investigation only happened after 16 years of the massacre. Like Hondh-Chillar, Pataudi, Reasi and many other places that we have brought out, Amitabh’s role in instigating mobs will be clearly laid out once we have our day in court,” he said.
The criminal complaint against Bachchan has been lodged under Australia’s “criminal code Act 1995″, which provides that Australian courts can have jurisdiction in cases involving crimes against humanity whether or not the offense was committed in Australia. Justifying the prosecution of Amitabh Bachchan in Australian courts, the criminal complaint states that Bachchan’s actions during November 1984 and his role in the killing of Sikhs specifically violate sections 268. 8 & 9 of Australia’s criminal code Act 1995.
News Source: Times of India
