First to recommend probe by SIT for anti-Sikh riots: Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi, April 13: AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday tried to woo the Sikh electorate, claiming that his erstwhile government in Delhi was the first to recommend a probe by a Special Investigation Team for 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Former Delhi chief minister Kejriwal, who is campaigning in Punjab for his party candidates for the April 30 Lok Sabha polls in the State, was addressing a rally during his roadshow at Dana Mandi in this industrial town.

Claiming that his party candidate from Ludhiana and noted lawyer H S Phoolka had all along been fighting for the victims of the 84 riots, he said, "Both the BJP and Akali Dal had done nothing for the 1984 riot victims and had only been playing politics with their plight."

While seeking votes for Phoolka, Kejriwal said that he would continue to espouse their cause (of the victims) in the Lok Sabha, if elected.

Lashing out at the Punjab government, Kejriwal, who is on a three-day campaign tour to the State, alleged that the SAD-BJP government had pushed the youth of Punjab into drugs.

Without taking any name, the AAP leader said that one of the minister in the SAD-BJP government was "patronising" the drug trade and he had no right to stay in power even for a day.

Kejriwal began his campaign tour from Amritsar yesterday. He will leave for Delhi tomorrow.

Earlier on the second day of his roadshow in Punjab today, Kejriwal began his journey from Pathankot and en route paid tribute to Bhagat Singh at his native village Khatkar Kalan in Nawan Shahar district.

Meanwhile, he evaded media in Jalandhar on his way to Khatkar Kalan from Pathankot. Kejriwal's car dashed past the mediapersons waiting to talk to him at pap chowk here.

PTI