Rahul can't be held responsible for anti-Sikh riots: Chidambaram
Kolkata, Aug 25 : Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday backed Rahul Gandhi for his comments in UK on the anti-Sikh riots in 1984, saying the party president had not absolved anyone for the gruesome incidents.
Interacting with the media here, Chidambaram said former prime minister Manmohan Singh and ex-party president Sonia Gandhi have already apologised for the "terrible thing" that took place 34 years back after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi by two of her bodyguards.
Chidambaram also asked those criticising Gandhi for his remarks to go through the full text of his speech posted on the Congress website.
"Congress was in office in 1984, nobody is denying that. And a terrible thing happened in 1984 for which Manmohan Singh had apologised in Parliament. We are not saying that the Congress is absolved.
"Mrs (Sonia) Gandhi has also apologised and on numerous occasions, some of us have also said what happened in 1984 was a terrible thing."
"Now, you can't hold Rahul Gandhi responsible for that - he was 13 or 14 years of age then... He has not absolved anyone. What Rahul Gandhi has said is there is on the AICC website. The full text is there," said Chidambaram.
Responding to a question in the UK about the 1984 riots, Gandhi on Friday said: "I have no confusion in my mind about that. It was a tragedy, it was a painful experience. You say that the Congress party was involved in that, I don't agree with that. Certainly there was violence, certainly there was tragedy."
Queried about Gandhi drawing comparison between the RSS and Islamist fundamentalist group Muslim Brotherhood, Chidambaram asked journalists to go through the full text of the speech.
When a reporter asked him about the BJP's criticism about Gandhi analysing the country's internal affairs on foreign soil, Chidambarm shot back: "You should have asked this question when (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi addressed a gathering at Maddison Square garden and other places."
On criticisms by the BJP on Rahul Gandhi commenting on the country's internal issues on foreign soil, he said these questions should be first asked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"You should have asked this question when Narendra Modi had addressed a huge NRI gathering at Maddison Square in the US. Did you ask this question?" Chidambaram said.
He said there was a 'very realistic chance' of the opposition parties coming together before next year's general elections. "And if I may volunteer, there is a very realistic chance that the opposition parties will win the elections."
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
