CHANDIGARH: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Nitin Nabin on Sunday demanded an apology from the Congress for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, targeting the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi during a rally in Rohtak, Haryana.
Citing former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's remark that "when a big tree falls, the earth trembles", Nabin accused Rahul of insulting the pain of the Sikh community by participating in the INDIA bloc's mega rally in Delhi.
Nabin led the BJP's 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' (Save Democracy, Eradicate Anarchy) march in Rohtak to counter the Opposition's narrative, amid preparations for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Addressing the gathering at Bapu Park, located outside the residence of former Haryana Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Nabin said, "Rahul Gandhi and the Congress should have apologised for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots instead of taking part in a protest in Delhi. Sikhs were massacred on the streets during his father's rule, and the son is openly insulting that pain by staging a sham rally today."
He also accused the Congress of blaming constitutional institutions after failing to secure a public mandate.
"In a democracy, it is the people who cast their votes and give a mandate to govern. You failed to secure that mandate. Instead of accepting the people's verdict, you are now driven by frustration and desperation, choosing to blame constitutional institutions," Nabin said.
He alleged that the Congress wanted democracy to function according to the wishes of the Gandhi family, while asserting that the Constitution should remain the guiding framework of governance.
"If Congress leaders had the courage, they would first end Rahul Gandhi's dynastic rule within the party and establish democracy in the Congress. You carry copies of the Constitution, but who tore its pages apart? It was the Congress. The Allahabad High Court had set aside Indira Gandhi's election for misusing government machinery and barred her from contesting elections for six years. This is the Congress's legacy of stealing votes and disrespecting the people's mandate," Nabin said.
He accused Rahul Gandhi of acting at the behest of foreign powers and said that he did not trust the country's 1.4 billion people and wanted to challenge democracy.
"The people of the country are watching and know who is challenging the democratic system," he said.
Nabin also criticised Congress leaders' statements about changing the government, saying that no one could harm a government formed through the people's votes.
The BJP national president defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, asserting that the party was ready to provide an account of the deletion of nearly 13 crore names from voter lists.
"We are ready to give an account of the 13 crore deleted names. Around 2.5 crore people are dead and nearly six crore have shifted elsewhere. Similarly, 3 crore are infiltrators. Why, then, are you (Rahul) advocating for the inclusion of deceased voters and infiltrators? What is your intention?" Nabin said.
Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary also joined the padyatra, while BJP's Haryana in-charge Smriti Irani and state president Dr Archana Gupta were among those present.
The march commenced from Chhotu Ram Polytechnic Institute and culminated at Bapu Park.