Photo Source: ANI
Sukhbir Badal accuses Sonia Gandhi of “clean chit” to 1984 massacre perpetrators; says “Congress must break criminal silence”
New Delhi, November 11, 2026 (ANI): Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi over her memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', accusing her of giving a "clean chit" to those responsible for the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre and demanding that Congress leaders in Punjab break their silence on the issue.
In a strongly worded statement on X, Badal alleged that Sonia Gandhi's account of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's decision not to deploy Sikh Army personnel in Delhi during the 1984 violence provided evidence of the Congress government's alleged patronage of the massacre.
"Congress leaders in Punjab must break their criminal silence on the clean chit given by Sonia Gandhi to the killers of thousands of innocent Sikhs in 1984. Her admission that Rajiv Gandhi purposely and personally decided not to deploy Army units in Delhi because they included Sikh personnel finally provides the clinching evidence of Congress govt patronage of the anti-Sikh massacre," Badal said.
Questioning Congress leadership's position, he referred to the deployment of the Army during Operation Blue Star and asked why Sikh personnel were allegedly not deployed to protect people during the 1984 violence.
"The Congress govt could send a Sikh General to lead Operation Blue Star on Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib and Sri Akal Takht Sahib, but would not deploy Sikh Army personnel to protect innocent Sikhs in 1984?" he asked.
Badal also questioned whether Punjab Congress leaders, including those from the Sikh community, endorsed the alleged decision to withhold Army deployment.
"Do Punjab Congress leaders, including Sikh leaders, endorse this decision to leave innocent Sikhs at the mercy of marauding killers belonging to the Congress party and the government headed by Rajiv Gandhi? Will they ask Sonia Gandhi to explain why Rajiv Gandhi chose to stop the army deployment to save the lives of innocent Sikhs? Cowardly silence won’t do," he said.