Rahul Gandhi
Congress has issued a statement and warned party members to be careful and sensitive in their statements. The party has also distanced itself from Sam Pitroda's remarks about 1984 riots.
In its press statement, the Congress has warned its leaders to be "careful" and "sensitive" in their statements.
Congress has maintained that it wants "stern punishment" for those found guilty in riots that took place in 1984 and 2002.
Congress has then criticised BJP's decision to field a "candidate charged with terror crimes" in Lok Sabha elections. The apparent reference is to Pragya Thakur though the press statement does not mention her name.
Congress' Sam Pitroda became centre of a controversy after BJP president Amit Shah tweeted a video in which he can be seen saying "84 mein hua toh hua". Pitroda's remarks were construed as him being insensitive about 1984 anti-sikh riots.
1984 riots had taken place in the immediate aftermath of former PM Indira Gandhi's assassination at the hands or her Sikh bodyguards. BJP alleges that the violence had the tacit support of Congress leaders.
On May 9, BJP alleged that instructions to kill Sikhs "came directly from then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's office".
Meanwhile, Sam Pitroda has denied allegations of insensitivity towards 1984 riots.
"I have noticed how BJP is again twisting three words from my interview to distort facts, divide us and hide their failures. Sad that they have nothing positive to offer. I acknowledged the pain of my Sikh brothers and sisters during difficult times in 1984 and deeply feel for the atrocities that happened. But these are things from past that are not really relevant to this election which is all about what did Modi government do for the last five years," he said in a series of tweets.
Watch | Pitroda's remark on 1984 riots reflects Congress's mentality, says PM Modi
