Rahul Gandhi denies Congress’ involvement in anti-Sikh riots

The Congress President Rahul Gandhi has made a false statement with respect to his party’s involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Gandhi scion completely denied the involvement of Congress party in the anti-Sikh riots in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s death. While interacting with a group of people in the United Kingdom, Rahul Gandhi was asked: “When we speak about 1984, we speak about the criminal involvement of the Congress party in over 3000 murders in Delhi alone over which there’s been no move to deliver justice since then.” To this Rahul Gandhi replied by saying anti-Sikh riots were a “tragedy” and a “painful experience” and further said, “You say the Congress party was involved. I don’t agree with that.”

His statement has ensued justified outrage by the Sikh leaders. Speaking to Republic TV, former Punjab CM and the Akali Dal President, Sukhbir Singh Badal completely exposed the hollowness of Rahul Gandhi’s statement. He said, “Ask any Congress leader from Punjab and even they will say that Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar had their role in the killings. Ask anyone from within India or the world, from an eight-year-old kid to a 90-year-old, they will tell the 1984 killings were done by Congress and its leaders. The comments by Rahul Gandhi have added salt to the wound. This is their thinking towards the Sikh community. They don’t care. “

It becomes pertinent to mention infamous words of former PM Rajiv Gandhi when he was asked about the gruesome violence launched against the Sikhs after the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her guards, Rajiv said: “When a big tree falls, the Earth shakes.” This is no less than justifying the killings.

Rahul Gandhi’s statement is contrary to the established history of the pogroms. Many senior Congress leaders were involved in the massacre of the Sikhs as pointed by former Punjab CM Sukhbir Singh Badal. While the Sikh community is still fighting for justice, Rahul Gandhi’s remarks are a great disservice to this fight. If Rahul could not be the part of the solution then he should also not get indulged into exacerbating the problem. Only because of such attitude, Sikhs have been denied justice for 34 years.  The Congress has not shown any seriousness to ensure justice to Sikh community.

Another SAD leader, Harsimrat Kaur Badal launched blistering attack against Rahul Gandhi’s insensitive remark. She said, “If as per him Sikh massacre never took place then as per me his father and grandmother were never assassinated, they died of normal heart attack.” She also said: “Rather it’s time you forgot your wretched lineage as the “Gandhi” in your name is synonymous with the massacre of Sikhs, desecration of the Golden Temple, demolition of Akal Takht Sahib & unforgivable sacrilege of thousands of Guru Granth Sahibs. @RahulGandhi (sic.)”

This time Rahul Gandhi has disturbed the emotions of Sikh community with his insensitive remarks and he should apologize to them. In 2014, he himself has admitted the fact that his party was complicit in the riots and now after three years he is denying any role of his party. Even the former PM Manmohan Singh had tendered an apology to the Sikh community in the Parliament. He had said, “I bow my head in shame that such a thing took place.” But it looks like that Rahul Gandhi his conveniently forgotten the history.

Rahul Gandhi has committed a sin by denying involvement of his party in the Sikh massacre and he should apologize for it with shortest possible delay. Furthermore, his statement will reignite the debate around the anti-Sikh riots and educate more and more people about the massacre and his party’s involvement in it. His statement is bound to backfire politically.