In a rare moment of political accountability, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said he was ready to take responsibility for all wrongs committed by the Congress Party, including the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Gandhi made the remarks during a Q&A session at Brown University’s Watson Institute in the U.S., where he was confronted by a Sikh man about his party’s role in the riots.
“I am more than happy to take responsibility for everything the Congress party has ever done wrong in its history,” said Gandhi, acknowledging the pain caused to the Sikh community.
The confrontation also referenced Sajjan Kumar, a senior Congress leader convicted in 2018 for his role in the riots, with the questioner accusing the Congress of continuing to protect such individuals. The man also rebuked Gandhi for allegedly instilling fear in Sikhs about the BJP while ignoring the Congress’s own record on religious freedom.
Gandhi responded by reiterating his respect for the Sikh community, stating he has visited the Golden Temple several times and had always condemned the 1984 violence.
The video has sparked a renewed debate over the Congress’s handling of post-1984 justice and the sincerity of its apologies over the years. Though former PM Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi have both previously expressed regret, critics say real action — not just words — is long overdue.
