Rahul Gandhi insulted 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims by holding rally on November 1: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of insulting the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by organising the INDIA bloc’s rally in Delhi on the anniversary of the violence, drawing a comparison with a controversial remark made by his father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Addressing an event in Chandigarh, Shah described the rally as ill-timed, alleging that it had added to the suffering of thousands of Sikh families who lost their loved ones in the violence.

“When thousands of Sikhs were murdered in the 1984 riots, Rajiv Gandhi had remarked, ‘When a big tree falls, the earth shakes’. Today, his son Rahul Gandhi organised a rally in Delhi to add insult to the injuries of the riot victims,” Shah said.

He added that neither Punjab nor the rest of the country would forget Gandhi’s actions, alleging that the Congress had orchestrated the massacre of thousands of innocent Sikhs in Delhi on this day in 1984, leaving children orphaned and 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,” the Home Minister said.

Shah says BJP had appealed against November 1 rally

Shah said the BJP had appealed through a press conference for political rallies to be avoided on November 1, 2 and 3, as the dates were associated with mourning for those killed in the anti-Sikh riots.

“However, Rahul Gandhi remained adamant about holding his rally on the very day thousands of Sikhs were massacred,” he said.

The Home Minister also claimed that traders in Delhi had requested Gandhi to postpone the rally until after Diwali, warning that the event would affect their businesses.

Shah accused the Congress leader of disregarding their concerns and insisted that the rally had been held despite repeated appeals.

He said Delhi’s small traders had contributed to the Congress failing to win a seat in the national capital in the last three elections.

“Remember my words: It will fail to open its account in the next three elections as well,” Shah said.

Shah accuses Rahul Gandhi of disrupting Parliament

The Home Minister also accused Gandhi of spreading falsehoods, promoting anarchy and obstructing the functioning of Parliament.

“However, the people are now aware. Be prepared to sit in the Opposition even after the next Lok Sabha elections,” he said.

Shah further accused the Congress leader of disrupting parliamentary proceedings to prevent women from receiving 33 per cent reservation.

“Rahul Ji, you disrupt the functioning of Parliament to prevent mothers and sisters from getting 33 per cent reservation. But remember, PM Modi will ensure that the women of India receive 33 per cent reservation. This is our resolve,” he said.

Modi government reopened 1984 riot cases: Shah

Revisiting the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Shah said India had never witnessed a politically sponsored massacre of the scale seen during the violence and would never experience one again.

He said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reopened cases against those involved in the riots, provided financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to victims and sent prominent Congress leaders involved in the violence to jail.

Shah’s remarks came as the INDIA bloc held its rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, with the BJP criticising the timing of the gathering on the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence.

(with IANS inputs)