As Rahul slams Pitroda for Sikh riots comments, Modi targets Cong

NEW DELHI : Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s comments on the 1984 riots continued to stir a controversy on Monday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying Congress chief Rahul Gandhi should be ashamed for the remark.

At a separate rally, Gandhi, admonished Pitroda for the comment being seen as insensitive to the Sikh community, which was targeted in violence that followed the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Replying to a reporter’s question on the 1984 riots, Pitroda, a close aide of Gandhi and head of the Overseas Congress, had last week said, “Hua to hua... (yeah, it happened)” Pitroda later apologised and said his remarks were poorly translated. The Congress publicly distanced itself from the comment, and Gandhi called for an apology.but that hasn’t stopped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from gunning for the opposition party.

At a rally in Punjab’s Bathinda, Modi said Gandhi should be “ashamed” of himself and sought to know whether Pitroda had been admonished.

“Policymaker of Congress and (late) Rajiv Gandhi’s key advisor and Guru of Namdaar (dynast), what he (Pitroda) said about 1984 riots led to an outrage in the entire country. Namdaar’s guru who had come from America has said hua to hua on 1984 riots. This reflects Congress’s thinking and shows its arrogance.” “Today I want to ask Congress, how long they will rub salt into ours wounds like this...,” Modi asked.

At a separate rally in Khanna, Gandhi sought to assuage the hurt sentiments of the Sikh community and added that Pitroda should be ashamed of himself and must apologise publicly for his remarks. “My sentiments are with you. Sam Pritoda should publicly apologise for his remark. Sharam Aani Chaiye (he should be ashamed of himself),” he said.