New Delhi, November 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A fresh political controversy has erupted over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots after Indian Overseas Congress president Sam Pitroda questioned the repeated focus on the violence that took place more than four decades ago. BJP leader Tarun Chugh criticised the remarks, saying the suffering of victims and their families cannot simply be asked to move on.
In an interview with IANS, Pitroda was asked whether the Congress should be held accountable for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He argued that repeatedly revisiting events from more than 40 years ago served little purpose and said the focus should instead be on building a prosperous and peaceful nation.
“Let’s look at the future. Let’s move on. Let’s design a better, prosperous, peaceful nation for everybody. That should be the agenda,” Pitroda said, adding that the debate should not remain centred on what happened decades ago.
Responding to the comments, BJP MP Tarun Chugh accused Pitroda, whom he described as Rahul Gandhi’s political mentor, of hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community.
Chugh pointed to the killings, destruction of homes and displacement during the 1984 violence, arguing that the consequences had affected generations of Sikh families. He questioned how victims could be expected to move forward without justice and accountability.
“Does pain have an expiry date? Pain requires healing, and healing requires justice,” Chugh said, alleging that the Congress had sheltered leaders accused of involvement in the violence and had failed to apologise to the victims.
He also criticised Pitroda’s reference to episodes involving Lord Ram and Hanuman, accusing him of disrespecting Hindu religious beliefs and India’s cultural heritage.
Chugh said the remarks reflected what he alleged was the Congress’s “anti-Hindu mindset” and accused the party of using such statements for vote-bank politics.
FOLLOW NOW
