Rahul Gandhi owns up ’84 legacy in his bid to close old wounds

BJP, RSS respond strongly Rahul Gandhi, who is currently the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, stressed that his conception of India was one where religious expression was never stifled. “The statement I made was that do not we want an India where people are uncomfortable to express their religion? I don’t think that anything scares the Sikhs,” he said. The exchange, which has since gone viral on social media, marks one of Gandhi’s clearest acknowledgements of his party’s troubled legacy. His comment that he would take responsibility even for events that preceded his political career was interpreted by many as a gesture of humility – but others saw it as an inadequate response that skirted concrete accountability. The BJP and the RSS responded strongly. BJP’s national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari lashed out, calling on Gandhi to expel from the party all Congress leaders accused of being involved in the 1984 violence, including Sajjan Kumar, Kamal Nath, and Jagdish Tytler. RSS-affiliated Organiser published a scathing article, stating: “More than 3,000 Sikhs were brutally killed during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi. Mobs led by Congress leaders like Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler, and many others burned homes, looted shops, attacked Gurudwaras, and killed innocent Sikh men, women, and children.” Referring to a recent court judgment, the RSS mouthpiece also reminded readers that a Delhi court in February 2025 awarded a life sentence to Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the killing of a father-son duo in Saraswati Vihar during the anti-Sikh violence. It was Kumar’s second conviction in relation to the 1984 massacre. Pluralistic society The Congress party has attempted to distance itself from some of the individuals linked to the 1984 riots. But critics argue the measures have been slow and symbolic rather than substantive. To an extent, it must be said, the Sikhs haven’t held a grudge against history. The Congress has won elections in Punjab thrice since the anti-Sikh riots – in 1992, 2002, and 2017. The wins in Punjab must also be seen in the context of the volatile politics of the state and the sway of Akali parties. In the 1999, 2009 and 2019 general elections too, the Congress party reaped somewhat handsome dividends at the hustings. But, in the same breath, it must be said that during election times, the riots of 84 have reminded Sikh voters of the Congress party’s role. For example, the Congress’ influence in Sikh-populated constituencies of West Delhi remains minimal to this day, with many voters still distrustful of the party’s record on justice and reconciliation.