Chandigarh- The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to come clean and tell the Sikh ‘quom’ why he had never condemned the decision of the Congress party led by his grandmother Indira Gandhi to storm Sri Darbar Sahib with tanks and mortars as well as his family’s role in carrying out a genocide against the Sikh community in 1984.
Addressing a press conference here, senior leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal said though senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had recently asserted that Indira Gandhi took a wrong decision in ordering an attack on Sri Darbar Sahib, he said the leader had wrongly dubbed it as a collective decision of the police, military and civil government. “The attack on Sri Darbar Sahib was ordered by Indira Gandhi who even sidelined Lt Gen S K Sinha for opposing the same”. He said it was also a known fact that foreign agencies, including the United Kingdom government were also consulted on the feasibility of the attack. “This means it was a sole decision of Indira Gandhi”.
Asserting that the Congress party had never disassociated itself from this decision, Mr Maheshinder Grewal said both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should explain their stand on this issue after Chidambaram had admitted that it was a wrong act. “The leaders should tell why they had never condemned an act which was aimed at destroying Sikh traditions and institutions besides striking at the very roots of the religion”.
Asserting that Chidambaram also could not wish away his responsibility in the case, Mr Grewal said the Congress leader had served as Home minister from 2008-12. “He had access to all relevant files regarding the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib as well as massacre of Sikhs in 1984. He never took any corrective action on both issues. He is liable to tell why he did not do this”.
The SAD leader also asked the Punjab Congress leadership to clear its stand on the issue. “The Punjab Congress should tell whether it supported Indira Gandhi’s stand or opposed it”.
Mr Grewal also spoke about the suicide of Haryana police ADGP Y Puran Singh and termed it as an extremely unfortunate incident. Expressing solidarity with the deceased officer’s wife who is also an IAS officer, Mr Grewal said “the SAD supports her demand for providing justice in the case”. He said an IAS officer should not have to struggle for justice and that the Haryana government should tell why it was not accepting the demands of the deceased IPS officer’s wife. He said the government should not try to save anyone and should ensure justice was delivered to the ADGP who was discriminated against on the basis of his caste. He also asserted that the case should not be politicised and that due pressure should be applied to the Chandigarh administration to deliver justice in the case.
Party chief spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler also spoke on the occasion and asked why the AAP govermental was silent on the issue of raids conducted on a betting syndicate in Patiala which had it’s tentacles across the country and was being run by senior IPS officers of Punjab as per media reports. He said Patiala SSP Varun Sharma should disclose the names of all police officers involved in illegal betting and not doing so would lead to questions on his integrity. Mr Kler also demanded the chief minister clarify the entire issue.