During a recent visit to the United States, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accepted that his party had made mistakes in the past. While speaking at the Watson Institute at Brown University, he said, “I am more than happy to take responsibility for everything the Congress party has ever done wrong in its history.”
Student Confronts Gandhi Over Anti-Sikh Riots
During the session, a Sikh student directly questioned Gandhi about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. These riots followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. Consequently, mobs killed more than 3,000 Sikhs, mainly in Delhi. Several Congress leaders faced accusations of being involved in the violence.
The student also challenged Gandhi’s past comments about religious freedom under BJP rule. He 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.”
Reference to Anandpur Sahib and Sajjan Kumar
Moreover, the student referred to the Anandpur Sahib Resolution. Rahul Gandhi claimed Congress wrongly portrayed it as a separatist document. He further pointed out that the party had not made enough effort to rebuild trust with the Sikh community.
He also mentioned former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who was convicted for his role in the riots. The student added, “Many more Sajjan Kumars are sitting in Congress Party.”
Gandhi Responds and Reaffirms His Stand
In response, Gandhi strongly condemned the 1984 violence once 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.”
Furthermore, he stressed that many of the party’s mistakes happened before he entered politics. However, he said he still accepts full responsibility. “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,” he said.
Operation Blue Star and Its Aftermath
To give context, in June 1984, the Indian Army carried out Operation Blue Star. Their goal was to remove armed separatists from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. This deeply hurt Sikh sentiments.
As a result, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. In retaliation, large-scale violence broke out against Sikhs across the country. Since then, this period has remained a sensitive topic in Indian politics.
BJP Reacts Strongly
Soon after the exchange, BJP leaders reacted sharply. Senior BJP leader Amit Malviya commented on social media. He said the Sikh student “reminded Rahul Gandhi of the unfounded fear-mongering he engaged in during his last visit to the US.”
He also described the incident as “unprecedented” and claimed Gandhi is now being “ridiculed not just in India, but around the world.”
