Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of holding a rally on the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence and suggesting that Gandhi should remain in a “mock parliament” if he aspires to be prime minister.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Shah made these remarks on Sunday in Chandigarh while addressing a gathering after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for development projects worth Rs 258 crore. He also broadly criticised opposition parties, characterizing their nature as one of spreading lies, anarchy, and negativity, and obstructing parliamentary proceedings.
Shah’s comments came in the context of the opposition INDIA bloc’s ‘Chalo Dilli’ protest held at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital, which the bloc stated was a campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities. The previous day, the alliance had conducted a symbolic “public impeachment” of Kumar, accusing him of vote deletion and demanding his trial for treason. This meeting was reportedly held in a setting resembling parliamentary proceedings at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, a move the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) described as a “mockery” of Parliament.
Addressing the INDIA bloc rally, Shah stated, “If you desire to hold a ‘jalsa’ for the Congress party on such a dark day of genocide, then Rahul ji, no one will be able to take away anything except hatred from your ‘mohabbat ki dukaan’.” He further commented on the Congress party’s electoral performance, noting its losses over the past 15 years and the unfulfilled ambition of Sonia Gandhi’s son becoming prime minister.
“So, they have found a new way: conducting a mock parliament. I want to tell Rahul ji, if you want to become the prime minister, stay in the mock parliament your entire life. Your turn (as PM of India) is never going to come,” Shah asserted.
The Union Minister also criticised INDIA bloc leaders for not accommodating the request of Delhi traders to postpone their rally until after Diwali. Shah highlighted that the period around Diwali is crucial for businesses, particularly for the sale of sweets and firecrackers, with an estimated trade of Rs 25,000 crore taking place in the few days leading up to the festival, attracting buyers from across north India to Delhi’s wholesale markets.
He reiterated his condemnation of the opposition’s decision to proceed with the rally on November 1, a day he described as a “dark day” marking the anniversary of the “Sikh genocide.” Shah warned that the opposition’s electoral prospects would remain bleak for the next three elections.
Recalling the events of November 1, 1984, Shah stated that thousands of Sikhs were brutally murdered in Delhi during riots allegedly incited by the Congress party. He spoke of Sikhs being burnt alive, families being displaced, children orphaned, and homes destroyed, referencing former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s controversial remark that “when a big tree falls, the earth shakes.” Shah described this statement as something he could never forget, asserting that only Congress leaders could describe the killing of thousands of Sikhs in such a manner.
Shah claimed that Rahul Gandhi organised a “bada jalsa” in Delhi specifically to “rub salt into the wounds” of the victims and their families. He added that the BJP had previously requested the INDIA bloc to avoid holding their rally on November 1, 2, and 3 due to their association with the anti-Sikh riots, but their insistence deeply hurt the Sikh community. Shah alleged that the decision to hold the rally on the anniversary of the violence was issued with orders from abroad.
The Home Minister asserted that the Modi government, upon coming to power, reopened all cases related to the anti-Sikh riots, provided financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to victims, and ensured the prosecution of prominent Congress leaders involved. He stated that India had not witnessed such politically instigated riots before and expressed hope that it never would again.
Shah further highlighted the achievements of the Narendra Modi government, including the abrogation of Article 370, the end of Naxalism, and the abolition of Triple Talaq. He pledged that the country, including Punjab, would be made drug-free by December 31, 2029. He also pointed to ongoing infrastructure developments, such as the construction of the largest cricket stadium, the highest overbridge, and the longest bridge, with investments of Rs 11 lakh crore, and the electrification of homes for the poor.
Furthermore, Shah alleged that Rahul Gandhi deliberately obstructs Parliament, implying this is to prevent women’s reservation. He affirmed that the Modi government is committed to providing 33 percent reservation for “nari shakti” (women power).
Shah expressed confidence that the central government would elevate Chandigarh to the country’s number one administrative unit and that an NDA government would be formed in Punjab following the next assembly elections.
The Chenab Times News Desk