Akali Dal leader calls Rajiv Gandhi "India's biggest mob lyncher"
Endorsing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stand, an Akali Dal leader called former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi "India's biggest mob lyncher". Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the national spokesperson of SAD, on Sunday released a statement saying Rajiv "organized" mob lynching against a particular community (Sikhs). Earlier, PM Modi sparked a row by calling Rajiv "corrupt number 1". Here's what happened.
Rajiv awarded those who participated in riots: Sirsa
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is right in saying that Rajiv was corrupt number one, but he was also India's biggest mob lyncher," Sirsa said in a statement. Referring to the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots, Sirsa said Rajiv rewarded those who were involved in the carnage. He asked Rajiv's son Rahul what has stopped him from accepting Congress was guilty.
After Indira Gandhi's death, Rajiv failed to curtail anti-Sikh sentiments
Rajiv sat on PM chair after his mother Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Anger against the Sikh community reached heights during the time and for the next few days they were brutally attacked in North India, especially Delhi, Rajiv not only failed to control the violence but made a statement that "earth shakes when a big tree falls", which emboldened the spirits of the rioters.
When BJP was asked about mob lynching, it looked backwards
Notably, Sirsa's statement resonates with BJP's stand. When the saffron party was cornered for the rising incidents of mob lynching, it retorted by talking about the 1984 riots. During the no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha last year, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that Centre is taking steps to contain such incidents. Thereafter, he added, "The biggest incident of mob lynching happened in 1984."
BJP put up posters calling Rajiv 'father of mob lynching'
To recall, Rahul denied Congress had any links with 1984 riots last year and this upset many. Seizing the opportunity, BJP's Tajinder Bagga put up posters across Delhi calling Rajiv the "father of mob lynching". "I have put up posters across the city to remind Rahul that his father was the director and producer of mob lynching in the country," Bagga had said.
Meanwhile, Congress has demanded action against PM Modi
Rajiv, who was murdered in 1991, found a place in political discourse after PM Modi said only the former's courtiers thought he wasn't corrupt. Congress fumed at PM Modi's comments and Rahul told him his Karma is on its way. Soon, UP Congress Committee wrote to Election Commission asking the body to take action against PM Modi and stop him from addressing rallies.
