Tytler incited mob, now inciting my family: witness

WITNESS TO 1984: Surinder Singh, who lives in California, alleges Tytler incited mob.

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New Delhi: A man who says he saw Congress leader Jagdish Tytler inciting a mob during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi has alleged that his family is being pressured to make him change his statement.

“I have seen Tytler getting people killed. The truth remains even if he gets 100 more statements recorded. Wherever you want me to say this, I will shout it aloud and let the people know about it,” Surinder told CNN-IBN in California, where he lives.

Surinder is the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) main witness against Tytler, but he has a history of being inconsistent with his statements. He has retracted his statement before the Justice Nanavati Commission, which is probing the riots, and has accused and absolved Tytler before.

This time though Surinder says he will hold firm. “I told the CBI how I saw Tytler getting people killed. My life became miserable because goons started harassing me. I was threatened,” he alleged.

“Had I been in India, God knows Tytler could have got me killed. In order to save my life I came to America.”

Surinder’s father Ajit Singh claims that he is lying. Asked to comment on Surinder’s allegation that he saw Tytler inciting a mob, Ajit said: “Nobody else did—there were 25-30 people around.”

“Was he the only daring one (to speak against Tytler)?” said Ajit.

Surinder alleged his family is under pressure. “My father and my brother Jaswant Singh are completely under Tytler’s pressure. They have either been bought over or due to some other reasons they are talking in his favour.”

Tytler rejected the allegations and said Surinder was not a “credible” witness. “I have said that Surinder Singh is not credible and I maintain that. I have said enough in public, my statements are now reserved for the court," he told CNN-IBN off camera.

(With Krishna Kumar in California)