I, Inder
Singh S/o Sardar Basan Singh, aged 35 years, resident
of 32/486, Tarlok Puri, Delhi, at present resident of Farash Bazar Camp.
I solemnly affirm and declare as under: -
Prior to November, 1984, I was carrying on the business of
Charpay and Jute, in a shop on U.P. Border. At present, I am President
of Farash Bazar Camp. During the course of last three weeks Shri
H.K.L. Bhagat has called me to his bungalow four times – first meeting
took place round about 14th August, 85. Shri Gulati who
is a Councilor of that area and is living in Vivek Vihar brought
his car and stated that Bhagat Sahib wanted to see me. I and five
other gentlemen from Farash Bazar Camp accompanied him to the resident
of Bhagatji. Immediately on our arrival there, Bhagatji said, “I
am on the job of providing you housing accomodation and about this,
I have made a promise to the residents of Block 32, Trilokpuri and
therefore you should make the affidavits after due consideration
and should not name me at the instance of somebody.”
A few days thereafter on Saturday the 24th August, 1985,
Gulati Sahib with a truck load of inmates of the camp went to meet Bhagat
Sahib. I also accompanied Gulati Sahib in his car. There Bhagatji told
all of us that he was arranging for land for our houses and at the same
time, he rang up the Home Minister. At that time, all other persons except
the five, who were with him, had been sent away. The Home Minister was
not available on the telephone. Bhagatji told Gulati Sahib that these
five persons should meet him in the Parliament House on Monday the 26th
August.
On 26th August, we five persons reached the Parliament
House but Gulati Sahib had not come by then. After waiting for sometime
when he did not come, the P.A. enquired from Bhagatji on the telephone
outside if the inmates of Farash Bazar Camp had been given time for interview.
On getting a reply from inside we were called in. Bhagatji in my presence
rang up and having some talk in English told me that the Home Minister
had gone on tour and that we should meet him on 29th .
Next day, Gulati Sahib called me at his residence. Makhan Singh,
a Congress worker, who was President of Trilokpuri, was also there. He
told me that we will be getting the houses and so 25 persons should submit
affidavits in the Court that in the November, 1984 riots, no Congress
worker had participated in the carnage of Sikhs. I was stunned to hear
all this and on coming back to Farash Bazar Camp, had consultation with
other as to how the provision of houses for us had any connection with
the dictated affidavits. All were unanimous in their decision that they
will not make any misstatement.
On 29th August, we five persons, reached the Parliament
House at 3 PM, Bhagatji met us. He seemed to be a little upset. I our
presence, he had a talk on the telephone with the Home Minister, in English
and handed over one letter to his P.A. and told him that it should be
sent to the Home Minister. We were told to go away and further that we
will be getting the houses. During the course of four meetings with Bhagatji
I was accompanied by Bhura Singh of 32/96, Trilokpuri, Babu Singh Dukhia,
Jhuggi 32,33, Sohan Singh of Dakhshan Puri and Makhan Singh of 32/481,
Trilokpuri.
We have not got any house as yet. What happened with us during
the November riots is that on 1-11-84, at about 10 in the morning I was
sitting in my house. Great noise was heard outside. Coming outside, I
saw Ram Paul Saroj standing with 4 / 5 persons. Ram Paul Saroj told me
that the Gurdwara of the 36 Block had been burnt and the mob was advancing
towards this side. I ran and told as many Sikhs as possible, about this
and reached close to the Gurdwara because of the suspicion that the mob
would burn the Gurdwara. Near the Gurdwara was standing Duli Chand, Congress
worker. He told me no worry and that they would protect the Gurdwara.
I could not, however believe him and so some Sikhs stood there. By this
time, crowd assembled opposite the Masjid. Within minutes, stones and
bottles were hurled on us. We also retaliated. In the meantime, 3 / 4
policemen arrived and told us to go back to our houses. Nothing was, however,
said by them to the mob.
When we told the police that we were in our area and the mob from
outside should be asked to return, Hawaldar Rajbir Singh opened fire in
the air and again threatened us that if we did not retreat to our houses,
they will fire at us.
Out of fear, we returned to our houses. No sooner did we reach
our homes, that the mob surrounded our houses and no Sikh could come out.
First of all, the mob looted our Gurdwara after showing disrespect to
the Holy Volume of Guru Granth Sahib, the same was burnt and then the
Gurdwara was set on fire. Somehow or other, I went out from the backside
of my house and hid myself behind a wall behind the Gurdwara where the
mob could not notice me, due to darkness. From there I saw that Ram Paul
Saroj was leading the mob and pointing out the houses of Sikhs and was
getting them killed. Amongst the killers the prominent were Kishori, Rashid
and Duli Chand.
This killing and looting continued throughout the night.
Early in the morning, I came to theGurdwara and saw that the entire Gurdwara had been burnt and two
dead bodies were lying in front thereof. One of the dead bodies was that
of Darshan Singh Granthi and the second one of his maternal uncle. The
hair of both had been tied together and one volume of Holy Granth Sahib
was lying on their bodies in a burnt condition.
On seeing this I was very much terrified and immediately went to
the house of a Purbia on Jamna Bank. Next day, he told me that he was
afraid of me. From there I went to U.P. Border after getting my hair cut
off and hid myself in a godown of a Transport Company there. They were
a bit known to me because my shop was near to them. From there I came
to Farash Bazar Camp on the 4th November
