THE 1984 anti-Sikh riots remain a ‘tragic and shameful’ chapter in the country’s history, says Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, asserting that while her husband Rajiv Gandhi's heart held no bigotry or rancour, he was thrust into a moment of history when effective governance had foundered and barbaric acts followed. In her memoir “Belonging: A Journey of Love”, Gandhi recalls that the news of Indira Gandhi’s killing spread rapidly and many in Puniab and other parts of the country had earlier welcomed the end of (Jarnail Singh) Bhindranwale and his cohorts who had been set upon breaking up the country with weapons of terror and murder. “But now many were enraged at their PM’s assassination, and the mood was turning ugly. By the afternoon, rioting had broken out in different parts of the city and beyond. Brutal acts of violence were committed against innocent Sikhs. More than 2,000 lost their lives in the capital alone, in the most cruel and cold-blooded manner,” she says. In her memoir, Gandhi says that on November 2, Rajiv Gandhi issued another nationwide televised appeal reminding people of Indira Gandhi’s words -- “Do not shed blood, shed hatred”.

 

Describing Sanjay Gandhi as a “man in a hurry”, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi says he had a “significant role” in decision-making during the Emergency despite lacking a constitutional locus standi for some of his political interventions. Memoir should’ve be named ‘Whitewashing’: BJP: The BJP hit out at Sonia Gandhi for trying to “justify” the Emergency in her memoir, “Belonging: A Journey of Love”, and said the book should instead have been named “whitewashing”. The motive of the book appears to be “sugar-coating the historical wrongs perpetrated” by the Nehru-Gandhi family, BJP’s national spokesperson C R Kesavan said. “She says she cried for Babri Masjid. Did Sonia Gandhi shed even a drop of tear when Gurudwaras were targeted and thousands of innocent people were violently killed during the 1984 Sikh Massacre.” which happened during the Congress rule? “Sonia Gandhi cried profusely for the Batla House terrorists, but did she weep for the brave CRPF jawans who were martyred in the line of duty protecting our nation and people?” the BJP leader said. “Did Sonia Gandhi cry for the innocent lives lost in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks which happened under the Congress Govt.

 

Will her book answer why the cowardly Congress-led UPA Govt failed to retaliate?” he asked. Kesavan said the way Gandhi has tried to “justify and normalise the notorious Emergency”, which murdered the Constitution and suspended fundamental rights, is truly appalling. “The Congress regime at the Centre for nearly 55 years inflicted unfathomable damage and scars on Indian polity and our democracy. The nation is thankful to PM Modi ji for effectively course correcting the historical sins and wrongs committed by the Congress party,” he said. Deep down, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had never been entirely at ease with the Emergency but felt compelled by the “prevailing havoc of the time”, Sonia Gandhi, who had an inside view of the goings-on during the June 1975 to March 1977 period, writes in her memoir “Belonging: A Journey of Love”. As Sonia Gandhi’s world came crashing down on May 21, 1991, when Rajiv Gandhi was killed in an explosion, the eerie premonition made by her son Rahul echoed in her mind. “If something isn’t done about Pa’s security, I know I’ll soon have to come back for his funeral,” Rahul had told his mother just two months earlier while on a tour with Rajiv.