Tytler demands CBI probe into shoe-throwing incident

Suspecting a conspiracy to oust him from the Lok Sabha poll race, Congress leader Jagdish Tytler on Monday demanded a CBI probe into the incident of shoe-throwing by a journalist on home minister P Chidambaram which led to the party's withdrawal of his candidature.
    
"The premier agency should investigate to find out who coaxed journalist Jarnail Singh to throw his shoe at Home minister P Chidambaram, triggering into a spate of
demonstrations in no time. There seems to be more than that meets the eye," Tytler said here.

Tytler said he suspected that some vested interests were keen to oust him from the general elections and also destroy his political career.

Jarnail Singh, a scribe with a Hindi daily, had hurled a shoe at Chidambaram in the AICC office during a press conference here on April 7, protesting against CBI's clean
chit to Tytler, an accused in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

The shoe had, however, missed the Home minister, but Tytler's role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots came to the centre stage once again forcing the Congress to drop him along
with another candidate Sajjan Kumar, who was also allegedly involved in the riots.

Tytler countered the allegations by saying that there was not a single affidavit filed in the court which could prove his involvement in the riots.

"More than 10 commissions were set up during Congress as well BJP regime at the Centre soon after the riot but not a single one could prove my involvement," the Congress leader said.

Accusing Akalis of instigating the incident, he said, "How come the journalist who never covered Congress as a beat was sitting in the front row just to throw shoe at the
minister?"

"It should also be probed how come only one particular TV Channel grabbed the entire shoe-throwing act while several other channels at the spot failed to cover it."

Tytler denied that he ever wanted a ticket for his son or relative as his colleague Sajjan Kumar did for his brother Ramesh Kumar for South Delhi seat.

He said, "I am a very disciplined solider of the Congress party. Whatever the party decides for me, I will accept."

Suggesting that he may be down for a time being in view of the controversy but not out, Tytler said he is now busy canvassing for DPCC chief JP Agarwal who has replaced
him in the North East Delhi seat.

"Whatever the Akalis claim, Sikhs have always supported me and my party. This time, too, they will vote for us to help us win all the seats in the national capital," he added.