BJP Asks Congress to Respect Sikh Sentiments, Defer November 1 Rally

The decision of the Congress party led the INDIA bloc to hold a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1 to escalate its protest demanding the stopping of SIR and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar is drawing flak from the BJP.

Addressing a press conference in Jharkhand on Saturday, the BJP national president Nitin Nabin said that the LoP Rahul Gandhi had chosen this day as the Congress party wants to hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community. This was the day when the Congress party is linked to anti Sikh riots.

Earlier during the day, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad in Delhi echoed similar views. He said the Congress party had convened a virtual meeting of INDIA bloc members on October 22 but postponed it as many did not attend it.

He said they have come to know that several allies were unhappy with the November 1 date and had suggested that the rally be postponed to a later date. The MP said that the stubbornness of Rahul Gandhi to go ahead with the rally indicates his “true face.” When he insists on something, he refuses to listen to anyone. He will go ahead, even if it means cruelly mocking the sentiments of the Sikh community.”

Referring to former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi’s remarks that ‘When a big tree falls, the earth shakes’ following his mother and then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination by two of her Sikh bodyguards, Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “They made every effort to deny the 1984 riots and protect those who perpetrated them.”

All the rallies he held so far, had achieved nothing except chaos on roads. The opposition meets to have breakfast or lunch and take to the streets, violate the law, and sit in protest in places like Akashvani Bhavan till night, causing inconvenience to the common man and trying to tarnish the image of India’s Democracy under foreign pressure.

On the other hand, BJP chief Nitin Nabin alleged that the party never followed the Constitution and ruled the country as per its wishes.

He said, “Today, in the country, there is an attempt to challenge constitutional institutions and democracy. Those who swear by the Constitution have shredded it to pieces.

“From imposing Emergency to President’s Rule in many states, Congress never followed the Constitution and ruled the country as per its wishes. Today, those who tried to finish off democracy are lecturing us about it,” he added.

Nabin accused the Congress of trying to create anarchy in the country.

“For this, they are getting support not only from within the country but also from foreign powers, he added.