Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Rahul Gandhi of disrespecting victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by organising a Delhi rally on November 1. Speaking in Chandigarh, Shah criticised Congress, recalled the massacre and highlighted the Modi government’s action.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday strongly criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for organising a rally in Delhi on November 1, the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, accusing him of disrespecting the victims and their families. Addressing an event in Chandigarh, Shah described the decision to hold the rally on a day associated with the massacre as insensitive towards thousands of Sikhs who lost their lives.
Shah compared Rahul Gandhi’s actions with the remarks made by his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi following the 1984 riots. Referring to Rajiv Gandhi’s controversial statement, “when a big tree falls, the earth shakes”, the Home Minister alleged that Rahul Gandhi had added to the suffering of riot victims by organising a political rally on the anniversary of the tragedy.
He said that neither Punjab nor the rest of the country would forget the events of 1984, when thousands of innocent Sikhs were killed during the anti-Sikh violence, particularly in Delhi. The violence left numerous children orphaned and thousands of families devastated.
“Rahul Baba, by organising a rally on the day of the Sikh massacre, you have exposed that your ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukaan’ is, in reality, a shop of hatred,” Shah said while criticising the Congress leader.
The Home Minister said the BJP had earlier appealed through a press conference to political parties not to organise rallies on November 1, 2 and 3, as these dates are associated with mourning and remembrance of the victims of the anti-Sikh riots.
However, according to Shah, Rahul Gandhi remained determined to hold the rally on November 1 despite the objections raised by the BJP and concerns expressed by sections of the business community.
Shah further claimed that Delhi traders had requested Rahul Gandhi to postpone the rally until after Diwali, arguing that the event could adversely affect their businesses during the festive period. He accused the Congress leader of ignoring their concerns and prioritising political activities over the sentiments of the victims and the interests of traders.
Taking aim at the Congress party’s electoral performance in Delhi, Shah said small traders had contributed to the party’s electoral setbacks. He predicted that Congress would continue to struggle electorally and said it would fail to win a seat in the next three elections as well.
The Home Minister also accused Rahul Gandhi of spreading misinformation, creating political instability and disrupting parliamentary proceedings. He expressed confidence that voters would reject what he described as the Congress leader’s political approach and said the party should prepare to remain in the Opposition after the next Lok Sabha elections.
Shah also raised the issue of women’s reservation in Parliament, accusing Rahul Gandhi of obstructing parliamentary proceedings and preventing progress towards providing 33 per cent reservation for women. He asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was committed to ensuring greater political representation for women across the country.
Referring again to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Shah described the massacre as an unprecedented instance of politically sponsored violence in India’s history. He said such a tragedy should never happen again and stressed the importance of justice for the victims and their families.
Highlighting the steps taken by the BJP-led central government, Shah said the Narendra Modi government had reopened cases related to the 1984 riots, provided financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh each to victims and pursued legal action against prominent Congress leaders accused of involvement in the violence.
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He claimed that several influential Congress leaders connected with the riots had subsequently been sent to jail, describing these developments as part of the government’s efforts to deliver justice to the affected families.
The Home Minister’s remarks have brought renewed political attention to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Congress party’s historical responsibility and the continuing debate over justice for survivors. His criticism of Rahul Gandhi also intensified the political confrontation between the BJP and Congress over the timing of the Delhi rally and the legacy of the tragic events.
