Congress leader Rahul Gandhi publicly acknowledged the historical wrongs committed by his party during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, stating that although he was not involved in those events, he is prepared to accept responsibility for the Congress party's past mistakes.
Gandhi's remarks came during a question-and-answer session at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University in the United States, held two weeks ago. The discussion took a pointed turn when a Sikh student confronted him over the Congress party’s role in the violent events that followed the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The student challenged Gandhi’s earlier comments about religious freedom under the current BJP regime, accusing him of instilling fear in the Sikh community while failing to acknowledge Congress’s own suppression of dissent.
“You create a fear among Sikhs about what BJP would look like… We want freedom of expression, which has not been allowed under the Congress Party in the past,” the student said.
He also criticised the Congress party’s historical narrative, particularly its portrayal of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution, which he argued was wrongly painted as a separatist document.
Furthermore, the student highlighted the party's lack of full reconciliation with the Sikh community, referencing convicted former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar as emblematic of the party’s impunity. “Many more Sajjan Kumars are sitting in the Congress Party,” he added.
In response, Gandhi reiterated his condemnation of the 1984 riots and emphasized his personal connection with the Sikh community. “I have publicly stated that what happened in the 80s was wrong. I have been to the Golden Temple multiple times. I have extremely good relationships with the Sikh community in India,” he said.
He went a step further, declaring, “As far as the mistakes of the Congress Party are concerned, a lot of those happened when I was not there, but I am more than happy to take responsibility for everything the Congress party has ever done wrong in its history.”
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The 1984 riots remain one of the most painful chapters in India’s political history. Following the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards—an act carried out in retaliation for the Indian Army’s storming of the Golden Temple during Operation Blue Star—more than 3,000 Sikhs were killed in targeted violence, primarily in Delhi. Several Congress leaders were accused of either instigating or abetting the attacks, and the party has long faced criticism for failing to bring all perpetrators to justice.
Operation Blue Star itself was a deeply controversial military operation intended to eliminate armed separatists led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale from the Golden Temple complex. The event left a lasting impact on Sikh sentiment, and its aftermath continues to influence political discourse.
Reacting to the exchange at Brown University, senior BJP leader Amit Malviya seized the opportunity to attack Gandhi. In a social media post, Malviya stated that the Sikh student had “reminded Rahul Gandhi of the unfounded fear-mongering he engaged in during his last visit to the US.” He described the incident as “unprecedented,” and asserted that Gandhi is now being “ridiculed not just in India, but around the world.”
The episode has reignited debate around the Congress party’s legacy and its handling of communal violence, underscoring how historical grievances continue to shape political narratives in both domestic and international forums.
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