U.S. Court Orders Trial Against Indian Government Minister Kamal Nath for His Role in 1984 Genocide of Sikhs - Trial Begins September 22, 2010

NEW YORK, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 07, 2010, Honorable Judge Robert Sweet of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued an order in the case against Kamal Nath, Indian Government Minister for Roadways, who is accused of leading the mob that attacked the Sikh Temple, Gurdawara Rakab Ganj, in Delhi on November 1, 1984 during which many Sikhs were burnt alive. The case against Nath was filed in April 2010 by the plaintiffs, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a U.S.-based non-profit human rights advocacy group and victims Jasbir Singh and Mohinder Singh. The judge is asking the parties to appear in court on September 22, 2010 for a pre-trial conference to discuss "settlement, exploring contemplated motions, stipulating facts, arranging a plan and schedule for all discovery and setting a time for trial". The lawsuit against Minister Nath is filed under the Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA) and the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA) asking the U.S. Court to grant compensatory and punitive damages for Nath's role in the genocide.

According to Mr. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to Sikhs for Justice, "The plaintiffs have requested a jury trial during which they will submit documentary evidence proving Nath's leadership role in the November 1984 genocide along with many leaders of the Indian National Congress. The new evidence proves Minister Nath also organized the massacre of Sikhs in various cities of the State of Madhya Pardesh including his constituency in the Chhindwara district. According to official documents of the Indian Government, more than 3,500 hundred claims were filed by Sikhs from the state of Madhya Pardesh alone."

Plaintiffs will call upon genocide survivors and experts on genocide as witnesses to prove that systematic killing of Sikhs in November 1984 was Genocide as defined Article 2 of the UN Convention on Genocide.

For more information, please visit sikhsforjustice.org.

Contact:

Tina Mosetis: 516-458-2090/[email protected]  

Charlotte Tomic: 917-882-5243/[email protected]

SOURCE Sikhs for Justice