Harvinder Singh Phoolka | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Punjab Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 16 March 2017 – 12 October 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Manpreet Singh Ayali |
| Succeeded by | Manpreet Singh Ayali |
| Constituency | Dakha Assembly constituency |
| Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 16 March 2017[1] – 9 July 2017[2] | |
| Preceded by | Charanjit Singh Channi |
| Succeeded by | Sukhpal Singh Khaira |
| Senior Advocate of Supreme Court of India & Delhi High Court | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 August 1955 Bhadaur, Punjab, India |
| Spouse | Maninder Kaur |
| Education | Bachelors in Law, Chandigarh |
| Awards | Padma Shri |
Harvinder Singh Phoolka, is a senior advocate of Delhi High Court, politician, human rights activist, and author. He served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly.[2]
He is known for spearheading what is described as "one of the longest and most torturous legal battle" and[3] "crusades"[4] to gain justice for the victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots and fighting individual cases on the involvement of Congress-I leaders H. K. L. Bhagat, Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler despite the government cover-up.[5][6] He received threatening letters[7] for unearthing involvements of ruling political party leaders in what the Asian Age called "the Mother of all Cover-ups" in a front-page story.[5][6] The special anniversary edition of the Outlook included Phoolka in its list of 50 people that make a difference in India, alongside Amartya Sen and Abhinav Ghosh.[8] He unsuccessfully contested 2014 Lok Sabha Polls as an AAP Candidate from Ludhiana .[9] In 2017 he successfully contested from Dakha Assembly constituency, but resigned on 12 October 2018 over alleged failure of Congress government in acting on Ranjit Singh commission's inquiry report on desecration of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. However his resignation was accepted by speaker after nearly 10 months on 9 August 2019.[10]
- ^ H S Phoolka is leader of opposition in Punjab assembly[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b Punjab's leader of Opposition H S Phoolka resigns, wants to help anti-Sikh riot victims
- ^ "Judges have been a party to a cover-up". India Times (English Daily). Archived from the original on 2 January 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
He has been the force behind setting up of the Citizen's Justice Committee and has spearheaded one of the longest and most torturous legal battles for the riot victims.
- ^ Warrier, K. Hari (20 October 1996). "Advocate of a just cause". The Pioneer.
Twelve years ago, Phoolka was just another lawyer trying to find his feet in the legal jungle of Delhi. Then came assassination of Indira Gandhi, and the genocide of Sikhs in the capital. Phoolka himself did not suffer. But the event turned his life upside down, into a long crusade for the victims of the massacre against the entire system which allowed itself to be a silent witness of those gory days…
- ^ a b Mustafa, Seema (9 August 2005). "1984 Sikhs Massacres: Mother of All Cover-ups". Front page story. The Asian Age. p. 1.
- ^ a b Agal, Renu (11 August 2005). "Justice delayed, justice denied". BBC News.
- ^ "Judges have been a party to a cover-up". India Times (English Daily). Archived from the original on 2 January 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
HKL Bhagat and Sajjan Kumar were very powerful those days. My wife gave me her full support though other member of my family had some apprehensions and said this is too dangerous a work. But my response was that if on October 31, 1984, I could pass through a burning gurdwara, this was certainly less dangerous. Slowly young boys and girls joined our team. They visited areas dominated by Sajjan Kumar and HKL Bhagat and worked day and night. We were getting threatening letters, but nobody got scared. Soli Sorabjee, Tarkunde and Sikri were there with us through all this.
- ^ Deb, Sandipan (October 1996). "Fifty Faces, A Million Reasons". Outlook (magazine, first anniversary special edition).
- ^ "AAP releases its list of first 20 Candidates for Lok Sabha Polls 2014". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
- ^ Phoolka's resignation accepted by speaker