Sikhs for Justice v. Congress (I) – US Court order for pretrial hearing on May 29
http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2013/05/...s-court-order-for-pretrial-hearing-on-may-29/
New York, United States (May 25, 2013): A Federal Court in Manhattan will hear 1984 Sikh Genocide case against Congress (I) on May 29. Pursuant to Sikh rights group’s request for jurisdictional discovery to unveil the relationship of Congress Party of India and that of America, Judge Robert W. Sweet ordered the hearing to resolve the outstanding discovery issues and to set a time for the trial.
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has served interrogatories on Indian National Congress (INC), All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC) as per “Rule 33 and 34” of the Federal Civil Rules. The interrogatories demand to produce all documents and communication among the organizations to discover the extent and nature of their relationship. Rights group’s demand from Congress party include production of all documents relating to the appointment and removal of INOC officials and the details of all the US trips taken by the top leadership of Congress party along with the names of their hosts.
A US Federal Court in New York has issued summons against Congress (I) on the charges of conspiring, aiding, abetting, organizing and carrying out attacks on Sikh population of India during November 1984. Congress-I has challenged the US Court’s jurisdiction to hear the rights violation case based on lack of connection between Congress party of India and Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC) of New York and improper service of summons by the rights group.
Through the process of discovery, Congress-I’s crimes against Sikh population of India which have been successfully covered for the last 29 years will now be unveiled in a New York Court Room, stated attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to SFJ. The hearing before the US Court will vindicate the victims of November 1984 who had lost all hopes from Indian judicial system after the acquittal of Sajjan Kumar, added Pannun.
The lawsuit against Congress-I was filed under Alien Torts Statute (ATS) and Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA) claiming that in November 1984 Congress party of India had “virtually complete control over governance of the country and as the ruling political party of India nationally and locally, was able to pursue a policy of genocide against the Sikhs under color of state law and with the apparent or actual authority of the government of India.”
SFJ announced to hold a “Justice Rally” outside the Manhattan Court Building on May 29 to expose the denial of justice to the victims of November 1984 and the practice of impunity to those Congress party leaders who orchestrated violence against Sikh community in India.
