BJP Leader Accuses Sonia Gandhi of Exonerating Rajiv Gandhi Over 1984 Riots

New Delhi, November 10 (Daily Kiran) : Senior BJP leader and lawyer H.S. Phulka on Tuesday accused Congress leader Sonia Gandhi of trying to clear her late husband, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, of responsibility for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. This allegation follows Sonia Gandhi’s recent comments regarding the delay in deploying the army during the riots, which she attributed to concerns from the then Army Chief, General A.S. Vaidya.

In her book, “Belonging: A Journey of Love,” Sonia Gandhi stated that General Vaidya received orders to deploy troops on the night of the riots but chose not to send the closest units due to the presence of Sikh soldiers, fearing it could exacerbate the situation.

Phulka, addressing a press conference, claimed that Sonia Gandhi was using her book to exonerate Rajiv Gandhi and their family in the context of the anti-Sikh massacre. He argued that her assertions contradict official records.

He stated, “The explanations given in the book regarding the delay in troop deployment in Delhi contradict the findings of both the Mishra and Nanavati Commissions.” Phulka emphasized that on the morning of November 1, 1984, around 6,000 soldiers were present in Delhi but were not deployed.

“If the army had been deployed in time, approximately 2,000 Sikh lives could have been saved,” he asserted. Phulka criticized Sonia Gandhi’s claims as being inconsistent with established facts, noting, “General Vaidya did not decide against calling Sikh soldiers due to a lack of trust. Furthermore, there were already about 6,000 soldiers in Delhi on October 31.”

To support his argument, Phulka referenced the Mishra Commission report, which confirmed the presence of approximately 6,100 soldiers in Delhi during the critical hours but noted that they were not sent into action. He pointed out that the Commission stated that deploying even 5,000 soldiers on the streets could have saved many lives.

Phulka also mentioned that General Vaidya had testified before the Mishra Commission, indicating he believed a sufficient military presence was necessary in Delhi. He contacted the General Officer Commanding (GOC), who confirmed the troop availability. General Vaidya had also requested reinforcements from Meerut, which arrived in the capital on the night of October 31.

Phulka noted that General Vaidya’s testimony did not mention any orders from Rajiv Gandhi to deploy troops. He argued that this suggests Sonia Gandhi’s claims are “completely contrary to official records.”

While acknowledging that Rajiv Gandhi had alerted General Vaidya, Phulka stressed that the army’s responsibility lies in preparedness, not deployment. He stated, “It is the responsibility of civilian administration to call and deploy the army. Yet, the civilian administration neither called nor deployed them.”

Phulka questioned Rajiv Gandhi’s accountability, asking, “If he is not responsible for these events, what actions did he take against those who failed to call and deploy the available army on November 1?”

He also referenced Rajiv Gandhi’s controversial speech following the riots, suggesting it justified the massacre of Sikhs. In that speech, he remarked, “When a big tree falls, the earth shakes,” which Phulka interpreted as an attempt to rationalize the violence.