Cong wasn't involved in 1984 riots, whosoever was should be hanged: Punjab CM

August 26, 2018 20:05

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today hit out at the Shiromani Akali Dal for attacking Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on the issue of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, saying the Congress, as a party, was never involved in the carnage.

He also asserted that 'whosoever was involved' in the senseless killings in 1984 should be "hanged".

The SAD had yesterday hit out at Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the 1984 riots, saying by disagreeing with the view that his party was involved in the "genocide", he had "rubbed salt into the wounds" of the Sikh community.

Earlier, describing the 1984 riots as a "very painful tragedy", Rahul, who was on a two-day visit to the UK, had said, "It was a tragedy, it was a painful experience. You say that the Congress party was involved in that, I don't agree with that. Certainly there was violence, certainly there was tragedy."

Castigating SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Amarinder Singh said the Congress chief was in school when Operation Bluestar and later the riots took place.

To blame him for 'anything' was totally absurd, said Amarinder Singh, in a hard-hitting statement issued here.

To hold Rahul Gandhi responsible for an act, of which he was not even aware when it happened, was completely ridiculous, said the chief minister.

"The Congress, as a party, was never involved in the riots that continue to haunt the Sikh community," the chief minister said.

Amarinder Singh said that if any individual was involved, he or she would be dealt with as per the law.

"To blame the entire party for the acts of a few was preposterous and typical of the political immaturity of Sukhbir," the chief minister said.

Amarinder Singh said "Rahul Gandhi's latest comments need to be seen in context with his earlier statements on the 1984 riots, wherein he himself had named some Congressmen".

"You cannot blame an entire party because of the acts of such individuals," said the chief minister reiterating that "whosoever was involved in the senseless killings in 1984 should be hanged, irrespective of political affiliations." -- PTI

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