THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan's allegation that Rajiv Gandhi had instigated the riots against the Sikh community after the assassination of Indira Gandhi was ''cruel and totally absurd,'' KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said on Sunday.
He demanded Achuthanandan to withdraw his remark and apologise to the people. "To say that Rajiv Gandhi went off to lead the riots from October 31, 1985, to November 3, when the riots broke out, is childish. He was beside his mother's mortal remains stifling his sorrow and meeting people,'' Chennithala told a news conference here. ''After the cremation, it was Rajiv Gandhi himself who, after visiting the troubled areas, called the army to put down the riots.''
Chennithala was reacting to certain remarks made by the Chief Minister in the Assembly and outside last week. On Friday, a slip of the tongue on Achuthanandan's part referring to Rajiv Gandhi when he actually meant the former Prime Minister's brother Sanjay had caused a furore in the Assembly. Though the Chief Minister was heard correcting his mistake, the Opposition went ahead and forced an adjournment of the day's business.
But on Saturday, the Chief Minister went on record stating that Rajiv was equally bad as his brother Sanjay. It was Rajiv who helped Union Carbide chief executive Warren Anderson to flee the country after the Bhopal gas tragedy, Achuthanandan said."This allegation is baseless," Chennithala said.
"The people will not forgive him for showering calumnies on Rajiv Gandhi who laid down his life for the nation,'' he said.