Sikhs merely vote bank for Rahul Gandhi, should apologise for 1984 anti-Sikh riots, says BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday lashed out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for invoking Guru Nanak Dev during his address to the Indian community in Berlin, saying his party was identified with anti-Sikh riots in 1984 and Rahul should apologise for the "heinous crime" at the Golden Temple.

“Gandhi is invoking Guru Nanak Dev merely for vote-bank politics. For him, Sikhs are merely vote bank,” PTI quoted BJP national secretary R P Singh as saying.

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi in Berlin: Congress president criticises BJP-RSS for spreading 'hatred'

The BJP leader alleged that Rahul's thoughts were actually in line with the Congress culture of divide and rule.

"We are pained to know that Gandhi, who reminds us of anti-Slkh riots of 1984, claims that his thoughts resemble to the first Sikh guru- Guru Nanak Devji. Actually his thoughts are in line with Congress culture of divide and rule," the BJP leader said.

Addressing the Indian community at a function organised by the Indian Overseas Congress in Berlin on Thursday night, Rahul claimed that the Congress's ideology of "unity in diversity" came from the times of Guru Nanak Dev, and the BJP-RSS divided people and spreads hatred.

The Congress justified the 1984 anti-Sikhs riots and treated Sikhs like demons, Singh claimed, while demanding that Rahul should apologise for the heinous crime in front of Akal Takht, the highest body of Sikhs at Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Also Read | UAE denies Rs 700 crore aid to flood-hit Kerala

Another BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said that Rahul had demeaned the Indian culture and termed him as an immature politician.

“Leave aside leading the country, Gandhi is even incapable of heading a political party,” Trivedi said.

(With inputs from PTI)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.