The Congress on Tuesday distanced itself from the controversial remarks made by former Law Minister Salman Khurshid claiming that that the party had bloods on its hands, referring to some of the riots that happened under the watch of Congress governments.
At a press conference, Congress leader P.L. Punia said all leaders should remember that such “unfounded statements tend to help those who seek to divide the society on caste and communal lines to retain power at any cost.”
“The Congress disagrees with the statement of Salman Khurshid in toto. Everyone must know that both prior and post independence, Congress is the only party which has worked towards building an egalitarian society by carrying all sections of people together and also religious and ethnic minorities,” said Mr. Punia, evading a response on whether Mr. Khurshid’s statement would invite disciplinary action.
On Sunday, during an interaction with the students of the Aligarh Muslim University, when a student pointed out different communal riots under the Congress’ watch, Mr. Khurshid said: “There is blood on our hands. I am also a part of the Congress so let me say it, we have blood on our hands.”
Mr. Khurshid stuck to his comments. “Have you ever known me to withdraw a statement? What I said, I will continue to say. What I didn't say, I will never say,” he said, asserting that he had made the comments as a “human being”.
