Rally on Nov 1 Sparks BJP Criticism Over 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots

Coimbatore, October 25: BJP leader Tuhin Sinha has criticised Rahul Gandhi's plan to hold a rally on November 1 and raised concerns about the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He questioned the Congress party's intentions behind choosing that date.

Sinha said Rahul Gandhi's repeated announcement that his so-called “vote chori” rally will be held in Delhi on November 1 insulted the feelings of millions of Sikh families. He recalled that on November 1, 1984, Congress workers had carried out a massacre of the Sikh community across the country in a tragedy that remains painful for many families.

He also referred to a statement made by Rajiv Gandhi, then the newly sworn-in Prime Minister, who had justified the violence by saying, “When a big tree falls, the earth shakes.” Sinha said that by insisting on holding the rally on the same date, the Congress was raising serious questions about its intentions.

The rally is planned as part of the INDIA alliance's proposed programme. Sinha's remarks came amid a broader political exchange over the event and the party's stance on the anniversary.