After the Congress had distanced itself from party leader Sam Pitroda's earlier statement and had warned its members to be "careful" and "sensitive" while passing remarks, party President Rahul Gandhi, late on Friday said Pitroda has said something completely "out of line" and should apologise for his remarks on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Taking to social media, Rahul Gandhi said, "What Mr Sam Pitroda has said is absolutely and completely out of line and is not appreciated. I will be communicating this to him directly. He must apologise for his comment."
"I think 1984 was a needless tragedy that caused tremendous pain. I think justice has to be done. The people who were responsible for the 1984 tragedy have to be punished. The Former PM, Manmohan Singh Ji has apologised. My mother, Sonia Gandhi Ji has apologised. We all have made our position very clear - that 1984 was a terrible tragedy and should never have happened," the Congress chief wrote on Facebook.
Sam Pitroda had sparked a controversy by his 'hua-toh-hua’ statement on 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Pitroda, a close aide of Rahul Gandhi and Overseas Congress' head made the remark in response to a question on the riots by a newsman in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh.
Earlier, Pitroda had apologised for his recent remarks about 1984 anti-Sikh riots and said that his "misrepresented" remarks were intended just to be about "moving on".
Meanwhile, Pitroda was slammed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah on his 'so what' remark. Hitting out at Pitroda, the prime minister said, "this reflected the character and arrogance of the opposition party."
What are the 1984 anti-Sikh riots?
The 1984 anti-Sikh riots, also known as the 1984 Sikh Massacre, was a series of organised pogroms against Sikhs in India, in response to the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. The then ruling party, Indian National Congress had been in active complicity with the mob, as to the organisation of the riots. The BJP has constantly alleged that Congress party, who was heading central government at the time, supported the violent activities.
How many peple were killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots?
Independent sources estimate the number of deaths at about 8,000 – 17,000, whilst government estimates project that about 2,800 Sikhs were killed in Delhi.
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