Delhi BJP Protests Congress Rally At Ramlila Maidan Over 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri led a Delhi BJP march in Hari Nagar on Sunday, protesting against the Congress rally at Ramlila Maidan.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra participated.

BJP leaders accused the Congress of hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community by organising a rally on November 1, the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, in which thousands of Sikhs were killed.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta criticised Rahul Gandhi and recalled the events of November 1, 1984, and accused the opposition of creating political unrest under the banner of democracy.

CM Gupta alleged that the Congress was putting Delhi’s traders and businesses at risk through its political activities. She said the party should apologise to the Sikh community rather than invoke democracy to counter criticism over the 1984 riots.

Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra said the rally had hurt Sikh sentiments during a period of remembrance for the victims of the 1984 violence. He further claimed that the Congress-led ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ campaign had failed to gain public support.

Malhotra alleged that opposition workers had rejected the campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise by staying away from the Ramlila Maidan event.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor claimed that the Congress had failed to mobilise the large crowd it had promised. He said the party had predicted that Rahul Gandhi’s rally would attract fewer than 25,000 people, rather than the claimed target of 10 lakh.

Kapoor described the turnout at Ramlila Maidan as evidence supporting the BJP’s assessment.

The Congress rally and the BJP’s counter-protest highlighted the political confrontation between the two parties in Delhi.

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