Opposition hits out at Rahul Gandhi for denying Congress' role in 1984 riots

Congress President Rahul Gandhi raked up a controversy on Friday over his comments claiming that the Congress wasnot responsible for the1984Sikh riots.

Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to the UK, told the audience of UK-based parliamentarians and local leaders yesterday that the Sikh riot was a "tragedy and had painful experiences".

However, he disagreed with the view that the Congress was "involved" in the massacre.

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Rahul said,"I think any violence done against anybody is wrong. There are legal processes ongoing in India but as far as I'm concerned anything done that was wrong during that period should be punished and I would support that 100 per cent," he said.

"I have no confusion in my mind about that. It was a tragedy, it was a painful experience. You say that the Congress party was involved in that, I don't agree with that. Certainly there was violence, certainly there was tragedy."

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal reacted to Rahul Gandhi's statements by saying that if the Sikh riots never took place then Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhiwere also never assassinated.

She said, "I say today with Rahul Gandhi's brain, that I'm putting in place of my brain. If as per him Sikh Massacre never took place then as per me his father and grandmother were never assassinated, they died of normal heart attack.

Shiromani Akali Dal chiefSukhbir Singh Badal hit out at Gandhi saying that the statements had added salt to the wounds of the victims.

He said, "Rahul Gandhi has conveyed a clear message, he is with those who killed innocent at that time. The statement given by Gandhi has added salt to the wounds of the victims".

SeniorCongress leader P Chidambaramon Saturday defended RahulGandhi for his statements saying that Rahul should not be blamed for the riots as he was 13 or 14 years old during that time.

He said Gandhi has not absolved anyone of the riots and should not be blamed for it.

He said, "Congress was in office in 1984. A very terrible thing happened in 1984 for which Dr Manmohan Singh aplogised in Parliament. You can't hold Rahul Gandhi responsible for that, he was 13 or 14. He hasn't absolved anyone".