Entire Congress apparatus was involved in 1984 riots: BJP, Shiromani Akali Dal

The BJP and its ally Shiromani Akali Dal on Monday stepped up their attack on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for remarks that his party was not involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, alleging the opposition party's entire apparatus was involved in the genocide and they could not be absolved of their sins.

They also attacked Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for defending Gandhi and his stand and claimed he had hurt the sentiments of people in his state and of Sikhs across the country.

"This was not expected from Amarinder Singh. Being a Sikh he should not have stood with the conspirators of the 1984 genocide on this issue. The Punjab chief minister has hurt the sentiments of the people from his state," senior SAD leader Prem Singh Chandumajra claimed.

He alleged it was a fact that the Congress was involved in the riots and they "can not be absolved of their sins".

Echoing similar sentiments, BJP's national secretary R P Singh alleged, "Not one or two hands, the entire Congress apparatus was involved in the 1984 genocide against Sikhs in the national capital."

He claimed then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, the father of Rahul Gandhi, tried to justify it by saying that when a giant tree falls, the earth below shakes.

The Congress was forced to cancel its leader Kamal Nath's appointment as Punjab assembly polls in-charge following anger from the community whose members had alleged his involvement in the violence, he claimed. 

Last week, Gandhi, who was on a two-day visit to the UK, told an audience that the anti-Sikh riots were a tragedy and a painful experience, but disagreed with the view that the Congress was "involved" in it.