Guwahati: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar today demanded an apology from the Congress President Rahul Gandhi and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for the remark made by Congressman Sam Pitroda on the 1984 Sikh genocide.
Prakash Javadekar said that enough is enough. “Rahul and Sonia Gandhi have to apologize to the nation for what Pitroda has said,” Javadekar said.
Javadekar asked so what if Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda, in response to the BJP’s claim that instructions to kill Sikhs during 1984 riots had come from late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi saying that riots happened in 1984.
The statement sparked a controversy with the BJP hitting out at him while Pitroda retorted by saying that the BJP twisted his words and distorted facts.
Javadekar further asked that how will Pitroda explain the justification of the riots by Rajiv Gandhi when he said when big tree falls, earth trembles when Pitroda said that Rahul and Rajiv Gandhi will never target any community. Is this not supporting genocide?
Javadekar further claimed that Pitroda shocked the nation with his views on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots repeating Pitroda’s statement to the media, ‘Hua toh hua, kya hua?’
The union minister also stated that today in his (Pitroda)’s explanation he said even more dangerous thing saying he (Pitroda) acknowledges the pain of Sikh community but today that is not relevant. Javadekar asked, “Who are you to decide what is relevant and what is not? Is their pain not relevant when the Sikhs are yet to get justice?”
Raking up other issues, Javadekar said, “Tomorrow you will say partition is not relevant, ethnic cleansing of pundits is not relevant, Shah Bano is not relevant. All this historical things are important because they connote the policies and practices of Congress government.”
Pitroda in a series of tweets said, “BJP is bringing up these issues to fore as they cannot talk about their performance in the last five years.” He further said, “Rahul and Rajiv Gandhi will never target a group of people based on creed.”
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