Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently acknowledged the wrongdoings of his party during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Although he was not involved at the time, he said he is ready to accept full responsibility. He made this remark two weeks ago during a public discussion at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University in the United States.

Sikh Student Questions Congress's Role

During the session, a Sikh student confronted Gandhi. He brought up Congress’s alleged involvement in the violence that followed former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination. Over 3,000 Sikhs were killed, mostly in Delhi. The student said, “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.”

Student Highlights Broken Trust

Furthermore, the student pointed out that Congress misrepresented the Anandpur Sahib Resolution as a separatist document. He said this move deepened mistrust between the Sikh community and the Congress Party. Rahul also mentioned Sajjan Kumar, a former Congress leader convicted for his role in the riots. He said, “Many more Sajjan Kumars are sitting in Congress Party.”

Rahul Repeats Condemnation of 1984 Violence

In response, Rahul clearly condemned the 1984 riots again. He said, “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.”

Ready to Own Congress's Entire History

Gandhi also took a step further. He stated, “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.”

1984 Still Haunts Indian Politics

The events of 1984 remain a sensitive issue. That year, the Indian Army entered the Golden Temple under Operation Blue Star. Their aim was to remove separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. However, this operation hurt Sikh sentiments deeply. As a result, Indira Gandhi’s Sikh bodyguards assassinated her. This led to large-scale violence against Sikhs.

BJP Attacks Gandhi’s Remarks

Meanwhile, the BJP quickly responded. Senior leader Amit Malviya targeted Rahul Gandhi over the exchange with the Sikh student. He said, “The Sikh man reminded Rahul Gandhi of the unfounded fear-mongering he engaged in during his last visit to the US.” He added that the moment was “unprecedented” and claimed Gandhi is now being “ridiculed not just in India, but around the world.”