'Sikhs Felt Insecure During 1984 Pogrom, Had To Clean Shave': Hardeep Puri Criticises Rahul Gandhi's Turban Remarks In US

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday (10 September) lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his recent remarks on Sikhs and sensitive issues of Indian diversity during his US trip.

Gandhi had alleged that Sikhs in India fear wearing signs of their identity like turbans or kada. Responding to this, Puri asserted his Sikh identity and the efforts of the Modi government for the community.

"I don't think the Sikhs have felt safer or more honoured at any time since 1947 as they feel now. Sikh community felt insecure when Rahul Gandhi's family was in power," the Minister said.

Referring to the 1984 anti-Sikh 'pogrom', Puri said, "3,000 innocent people were killed. People were dragged out of their homes and burnt alive. These are all documented incidents."

Recalling Rahul Gandhi's father Rajiv Gandhi's statement on Indira Gandhi's death that the 'earth shakes when a big tree falls,' Puri said that this was a justification to target the minority Sikh community.

Regarding Rahul Gandhi's remarks, he said, "This is sinister because young Sikhs staying in the US who are not directly connected to India are being fed wrong information and narrative."

Praising Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Puri said that Gandhi should educate himself about the organisation. He added that Gandhi's remarks are more worrisome because he is making them as the Leader of the Opposition.

The Minister criticised Gandhi for maligning India's legal and democratic system at the international forum. "The icing on the cake was his remarks whether Sikhs can wear turban," Puri added.

He recalled that during the 1984 pogrom, many of his friends had to remove their turbans and get clean shaved out of fear. He said that the time has come to nail this lie once and for all.