'Setting Dangerous Narrative': BJP Rebuts Rahul Gandhi Over Remarks on Sikhs

New Delhi: A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stoked a row while attacking the BJP and RSS over their stand on women, a new controversy has erupted after his recent remarks in Virginia over the rights of Sikhs in India.

Rahul Gandhi, who is on a visit to US, addressed a gathering of several hundred Indian Americans in Herndon, a Virginia suburb of Washington DC, on Monday (September 9, 2024 and said  “fight is about whether a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear a turban in India and would be able to visit a Gurdwara”.

BJP Dares Rahul to Repeat Words in India

The statement has not gone down well within the political circles with many BJP leaders hitting out at the Lok Sabha member for maligning the image of India from a foreign land and challenged him to repeat his words in India.

Reacting to Gandhi's statements, BJP leader RP Singh on Tuesday reminded him about the Sikh massacre in Delhi following former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984. He also challenged to drag him to court.

News agency ANI quoted RP Singh as saying, "3000 Sikhs were massacred in Delhi; their turbans were taken off, their hair was chopped off and beard was shaved...He ( Rahul Gandhi ) doesn't say that this happened when they ( Congress ) were in power...I challenge Rahul Gandhi to repeat in India what he is saying about Sikhs, and then I will file a case against him and will drag him to court," RP Singh said.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri launched a blistering attack on the Rae Bareli MP for spreading a false narrative among the Sikh community in the US.

He said, “When Rahul Gandhi was not LoP, using words carefully was not his strong point even then.He speaks out of ignorance and lack of knowledge. In 1984, a pogrom was carried out against Sikh community. There are documented cases.I want to remind Mr Gandhi that in India Sikh Community has felt anxious when statement like this was made: Ek bada ped jab girta hai. He is in company of people like Sam Pitroda, who make such comments.” 

"Rahul Gandhi is trying to set a dangerous narrative. He has no knowledge regarding issues. Rahul Gandhi has no knowledge about sensitive issues," he added.

"He (Rahul) has attacked the legal sytem of India, said Puri. "He needs to do some serious introspection. Sikhs are proud and hard working community but they are also emotional," he further said.

'Modi is Popular Across the Globe, Got More Vote Than Rahul's Grandmother'

Responding sharply on the MP's latest remark, Union Minister Giriraj Singh attacked him over the atrocities on Sikhs during Indira Gandhi-led Congress regime in India. Comparing PM Modi with Indira Gandhi, Singh said "Modi is popular across the globe, and got more vote than Rahul's grandmother"

"Congress after independence killed Sikhs, now they are trying to preach. People who don't know much, talk a lot to show off, like Rahul Gandhi . He lost for the 3rd time, and yet can talk like this. Answering them is going below the belt," he said.

While Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Lambasted Rahul for maligning the image of the country on a foreign soil. 

Chouhan said, "Rahul Gandhi is the LoP and the position of LoP is a responsible position. I want to remind Rahul Gandhi that when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the LoP, in a foreign land, he never tried to malign the image of the country...Due to being defeated consecutively for the third time, anti- BJP , anti-RSS and anti-Modi sentiments have taken root in his mind...He is constantly trying to malign the image of the country. Maligning the image of the country is equivalent to treason...Who attacked the Constitution? Who imposed the emergency? He goes on a Bharat Jodo Yatra but he is unable to unite neither with India nor with the people of India."  

Rahul Gandhi Stokes Row Yet Again

During his Virginia visit, the Congress leader said, "The fight (in India) is about whether a Sikh is going to be allowed to wear a turban in India. Whether a Sikh will be allowed to wear a kada in India or will be able to go to the gurudwara. That's what the fight is about, and it is not just for Sikhs, it is for all religions." During his remarks, Gandhi also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ), claiming that the "fear" of PM Modi among the public had dissipated following the 2024 Lok Sabha election results.

"Something has changed after the elections. PM Modi tried to create an environment of fear. Various agencies, media, income tax department tried to spread fear, even among small and medium-sized businesses. But, nothing worked. The fear vanished in one second," he added.