Sam Pitroda remarks on 1984 anti-Sikh riots: Congress insensitive to Sikhs, says Narendra Modi

Prime Minister alleges that Sam Pitroda’s remark reflects the character, mindset and arrogance of the party.

May 10, 2019 07:04 pm | Updated December 03, 2021 08:51 am IST - CHANDIGARH

Delhi BJP Sikh cell members stage a protest outside Congress president Rahul Gandhi's residence in New Delhi on May 10, 2019 against Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s remarks on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Delhi BJP Sikh cell members stage a protest outside Congress president Rahul Gandhi's residence in New Delhi on May 10, 2019 against Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s remarks on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday invoked the 1984 anti-Sikh riots against the backdrop of Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s hua to hua (whatever happened has happened) remark.

“The three words from the Congress leader over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots reflects the character, mindset and arrogance of the party,” Mr. Modi said.

He was addressing the BJP’s ‘Vijay Sankalp’ rally in Rohtak, where he described the Congress as a party insensitive to the Sikhs.

Mr. Modi said: “This leader (Sam Pitroda) is close to the Gandhi family... he is their confidant... he is the ‘Guru’ of the naamdaar president of the party. Several Sikh families were killed during the 1984 riots. In Delhi alone, over 2,800 Sikhs were killed — but for Congress leaders it’s only hua to hua .The loss of human life doesn’t bother them.”

He said people would teach a lesson to the Congress, which due to its actions and “insensitive approach” had already been reduced to 44 seats in the Lok Sabha.

 

“The Congress ruled the nation for 70 years, and the tenure was filled with arrogance. Poor became poorer, corruption went on increasing, black money ruined the economy of the nation and the Congress remained a mute spectator,” he claimed.

Mr. Modi said that when the Samjhauta Express blast took place near Panipat, the Congress targeted and harassed innocent people in the name of ‘Hindu terrorism’, but later its conspiracy was exposed.

Addressing a rally in Mandi of Himachal Pradesh, Mr. Modi took a dig at the Congress on national security, saying that even after remaining in power for seven decades, the Congress had no clear defence policy for the country.

Mr. Modi alleged that insulting the Army and soldiers was the habit of the Congress. “Recently, the Chief Minister of Karnataka said that those youth who fail to get two meals daily join the Army, and the Congress is an alliance partner in that government. Is it not an insult to our brave soldiers,” Mr. Modi said.

‘Not a care for unity’

The Prime Minister accused the Congress of supporting talks with separatists and seeking scrapping of the sedition law. “They (Congress) also want special powers given to the Army to be scrapped. The Congress doesn’t care for the unity of our country,” he said.

At a rally in Hoshiarpur of Punjab, he alleged that the Congress was not only shielding but also patronising those involved in the anti-Sikh riots. “We set up a SIT to investigate the 1984 riots cases and the result is that today the guilty are behind bars in one case,” he said.

Mr. Modi said the NDA government took a historic decision to build a ‘corridor’' from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur to Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.

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