Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a blistering attack on Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over the INDIA Bloc’s massive rally at Delhi’s Ramlila
Maidan.
Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi’s slogan of a ‘shop of love’, Shah said, “Rahul Gandhi, from your ‘shop of love’, people will only be able to take away hatred.”
Shah Slams Rahul Gandhi Over Rally Date
Addressing a gathering in Chandigarh, the Union Minister accused the Congress of hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community by holding the event on November 1, the date associated with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Referring to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s remark that “when a big tree falls, the earth shakes”, Shah said Rahul Gandhi’s decision to organise the rally amounted to “rubbing salt into the wounds” of the riot victims.
Amit Shah Invokes 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots
He claimed that the BJP had urged the Congress not to hold the event on these dates, but the party remained adamant. Alleging that instructions had come from abroad to proceed with the rally, Shah strongly condemned the move, saying, “India and Punjab will never be able to forget this.”
The Opposition alliance is holding a massive rally to demand the withdrawal of the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Referring to the Opposition’s gathering in the national capital, Shah said, “Rahul Gandhi has organized a massive event in Delhi today.”
Shah Claims BJP Reopened Riot Cases, Secured Convictions
Invoking the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the BJP leader stated that thousands of Sikhs were massacred following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
“Many Sikhs were massacred when Indira Gandhi was killed,” Shah said, accusing the Congress of failing to deliver justice to the victims.
He further claimed that the government had reopened cases related to the violence and provided compensation to the affected families. Shah also said several Congress leaders had been jailed in connection with the cases.
“When Narendra Modi’s government came to power, we reopened all the cases against the rioters, provided financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to each of the victims, and ensured that key Congress leaders were put behind bars. India had never witnessed—nor will it ever witness again—riots incited by a political party in this fashion…,” he said.
He added that the 1984 violence would remain etched in the memory of the country, saying, “India and Punjab won’t forget the 1984 massacre.”
