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]
The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind (right) presenting the Padma Shri Award to Harvinder Singh Phoolka (left), in New Delhi on March 16, 2019.
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 pogroms 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.
Born on: 24 August, 1955
