Khurshid said, “Our hem is tainted by blood stains… and that is why you are telling me that we shouldn’t stop if someone attacks you.. (but) we will show these stains, that you understand that if you attack these people, the stains will ultimately stain you….”

In a telling remark on the moral high ground that the Congress takes over rival BJP on the issue of riots and violence against the minorities, senior Congress leader and former Law minister Salman Khurshid on Tuesday said that Congress’ hem is tainted by blood stains of Muslims. Speaking at an event in Aligarh Muslim University, Khurshid said that one should learn from history. Asked what he has to say on anti-Muslim riots and Babri Mosque demolition under Congress rule, Khurshid said, “Our hem is tainted by blood stains… and that is why you are telling me that we shouldn’t stop if someone attacks you.. (but) we will show these stains, that you understand that if you attack these people, the stains will ultimately stain you…,” Khurshid added.

He furher suggested that one should learn from Congress’ history, “(you should) learn something from our history and understand, don’t meet the same fate… that you visit the Aligarh university after 10 years and meet no one like you (the one who posed the question) to ask a question.”

(Hamare Daaman mein khoon ke dhabbe hain, aur isis vageh se aap ye hamse keh rahe hain ki ab agar aap par koi vaar aap apr kare to hume badhkar use rokna nahi chahiye, hum ye dhabbe dikhayenge… ki tum samjho, ki ye dhabbe tumpar lage hain, ye dhabbe tumpar na lagein, tum vaar inpe karoge dhabbe tumhare lagenge, hamare itihas se kuch seekho or samjho, iske baad apna hashra aisa mat karo, ki tum 10 saal baad Aligarh university aao aur aap jaisa koi sawaal puchne wala bhi na mile)

Speaking to media later on the issue, Salman Khurshid said that he stands by his statement, adding that media is sensationalising this. “I don’t regret it,” he said.

Amir, one of the listeners at the event, asked Khurshid that there were incidents of massacre of Muslims in Hashimpura, Maliana, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad, Bhagalpur, Aligarh etc after country’s independence in 1947. Apart from this, opening of Babri Masjid’s doors and later the incident of its demolition also occurred under Congress rule, he said.