In a wide-ranging conversation at Brown University, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a striking remark: he is willing to take responsibility for everything “bad” the Congress has done, including the 1984 anti-Sikh riots — even though he wasn’t politically active at the time. The BJP has strongly reacted, calling his comments hollow without action.
By New Delhi Post Desk
New Delhi: During an interaction at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs (Brown University, USA) uploaded on May 4, Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said he is “more than happy” to take responsibility for past missteps by the Congress party, including the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
On Taking Moral Responsibility
Responding to a question on Congress’s relationship with the Sikh community and the 1984 riots, Gandhi said:
“As far as the mistakes the Congress party have made are concerned, a lot of them happened when I was not there. But I am more than happy to take responsibility for everything bad that the Congress has done in its history.”
He added that he has consistently condemned the violence of the 1980s and maintains a “loving” relationship with the Sikh community, citing multiple visits to the Golden Temple.
Attack on BJP’s Hindutva Narrative
Speaking on Hinduism, Gandhi said the BJP’s ideology does not reflect the true essence of the religion.
“Lord Ram was forgiving and compassionate. I don’t consider what the BJP says to be the Hindu idea at all… It is much more pluralistic, affectionate, and tolerant.”
His reference to Lord Ram as a “mythological figure” provoked sharp criticism from the BJP, with spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari branding the Congress “anti-Hindu” and calling for a name change.
BJP’s Reaction: Words Not Enough
The BJP challenged Gandhi to back his words with action, demanding the expulsion of Congress leaders like Jagdish Tytler, Kamal Nath, and Sam Pitroda — all controversially linked to the 1984 riots.
BJP leaders also accused Congress of obstructing the Ram Mandir construction and using terms like “Hindu terror” to malign the majority community.
View on Caste Census
On the issue of caste, Gandhi said the findings of the Telangana caste census were “shocking” and would reshape India’s developmental and political discourse.
“It is the first step. It will transform the way we think about development and politics,” he said, underscoring Congress’s support for caste-based data.
Foreign Policy & China-Pakistan Nexus
Commenting on India’s external challenges, Gandhi warned of a deepening alliance between China and Pakistan, stating:
“Now China and Pakistan are fused. So, any conflict we have will probably involve both of them together.”
He also acknowledged Donald Trump’s approach on trade as legitimate, saying, “Trump has diagnosed the manufacturing monopoly problem accurately. We should negotiate right back.”
