BJP holds protest march in Delhi seeking apology for 1984 riots
The party criticised the Congress for organising a rally on the anniversary of the anti-Sikh violence.
The BJP organised a protest march in west Delhi on Sunday, demanding an apology from the Congress and Rahul Gandhi regarding the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. According to reports from ThePrint, the march took place in Hari Nagar and moved towards Tilak Nagar to seek justice for the victims.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri led the protest and described the 1984 violence as a well-planned massacre rather than a spontaneous riot. He stated that official figures show 2,733 Sikhs were killed in Delhi during the violence, which he called a genocide and a crime against humanity.
Puri questioned the timing of a parallel INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan, asking why November 1 was chosen for a political programme. He said the community and nation have not yet fully processed the events of 1984 and that the Congress has not appropriately apologised.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also participated in the march, noting that the violence caused many Sikhs to alter their appearance to stay safe. She stated that the Congress and the Gandhi family could not escape responsibility for the events.
Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra alleged that Rahul Gandhi was deliberately rubbing salt into the wounds of victim families by holding a rally on the anniversary. He compared this to the mindset behind Rajiv Gandhi's statement regarding a big tree falling.