Come clean on Bluestar: SAD to Cong

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to come clean and explain why he had never condemned the Congress decision to storm Sri Darbar Sahib with tanks and mortars and his family’s role in the 1984 genocide of Sikhs.

Addressing a press conference here, senior leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal said though senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had recently asserted that PM 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 SK Sinha for opposing that.” 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. Asserting that the Congress had never disassociated itself from the decision, Grewal said both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should explain their stand on the issue after Chidambaram had admitted that it was a wrong act. “The leaders should tell why they had never condemned an act that was aimed at destroying Sikh traditions and institutions besides striking at the very roots of the religion.”

Asserting that Chidambaram could not wish away his responsibility, Grewal said the Congress leader served as Home Minister during 2008-12. “He had access to all relevant files regarding the attackas well as massacre of Sikhs in 1984. He never took any corrective action. He is liable to tell why he did not do that,” he said. — TNS