NEW DELHI: BJP continued to target Congress over the 1984 riots, with MP Kirron Kher chiding that the Gandhi family made former PM Manmohan Singh apologise for the anti-Sikh pogrom than do so themselves, a charge that the principal opposition party rubbished as baseless.

Intervening in a discussion in Rajya Sabha in 2005, then PM Singh had said he had seen statements of various leaders that he apologise. “I have no hesitation in apologising to the Sikh community. I apologise not only to the Sikh community, but to the whole Indian nation because what took place in 1984 is the negation of the concept of nationhood enshrined in our Constitution,” he had said.

In a tweet, Kher said, “I wish Sonia or Rahul had apologised for the 1984 Sikh genocide, rather than making Manmohan Singh say it. Everyone knows the rioting mobs were led by Congressmen. Congress was led by the Gandhis, not Manmohan Singh.”

In response, Congress spokesman Jaiveer Shergill said, “Kirron Kher, despite being an MP, is neither aware of facts nor reads the news. Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh have already apologised for 1984 riots. As party vice president, Rahul Gandhi had underlined the PM and the Congress president had issued an apology, which was the Congress stand on the tragedy.”

Speaking at the London School of Economics last week, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said, “When Manmohan Singh spoke, he spoke for all of us.”

Shergill added, “Instead of playing opportunistic politics, Kher should ask PM Narendra Modi to apologise for the 1984 riots as there are 30 RSS members named as accused in FIRs in riots cases.” He also asked why Modi had not apologised for the Gujarat riots in which his ministers and BJP leaders were allegedly involved and even convicted.

