Happy to take responsibility: Rahul Gandhi’s reply to Sikh man on 1984 riots

In a rare admission, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi acknowledged the Congress party’s role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, saying he is willing to “take responsibility for everything the Congress party has ever done wrong in its history”—even for events that occurred before his political career began.

The comments came during a charged Q&A session at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University in the United States, where Rahul Gandhi was confronted by a Sikh attendee questioning the Congress party’s past actions, including the labelling of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution as separatist and the political shielding of individuals accused in the riots.

“You haven’t tried to reconcile with the Sikhs,” the man said, pointing to figures like Sajjan Kumar and KPS Gill. “Yet you ask us to fear what BJP’s India would look like?”

Rahul Gandhi responded, “First of all, I don’t think anything scares the Sikhs A lot of those mistakes happened when I was not there, but I’m more than happy to take responsibility for everything the Congress party has ever done wrong in its history.”

He added, “I have publicly stated that what happened in the 80s was wrong. I’ve been to the Golden Temple multiple times. I have an extremely good and loving relationship with the Sikh community.”

Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots during his US visit, BJP’s Amit Malviya posted on X, “You haven’t reconciled with the Sikhs,” a young man tells Rahul Gandhi to his face, reminding him of the unfounded fear-mongering he engaged in during his last visit to the US. It is quite unprecedented that Rahul Gandhi is now being ridiculed not just in India, but around the world.”

The moment marks one of Rahul Gandhi’s clearest acknowledgements of historical wrongs committed by his party, amid continuing calls for accountability and justice from India’s Sikh community.