Chandigarh blast linked to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in the US, alleges BJP

BJP IT Chief Amit Malviya on Thursday alleged a connection between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks in the United States and a recent blast in Chandigarh.

In a post on X (formerly know as Twitter), Malviya accused Gandhi of making "patently false and misleading" claims about the status of Sikhs in India, suggesting that Gandhi's statements could incite internal unrest. He implied that Gandhi’s comments might have triggered the explosion in Chandigarh.

Malviya stated, "Rahul Gandhi made a patently false and misleading statement in the USA, saying Sikhs do not have freedom and equal rights in India."


He added, "Yesterday, a blast happened in Chandigarh. The sequence shows that soon after his outrageous comment, internal disturbance starts in the country. Now connect the dots."


The incident Malviya referred to was a low-intensity explosion at a house in Chandigarh. The house owner reported that two individuals in an auto-rickshaw threw a grenade. Fortunately, there were no casualties, though there was damage to windows and garden pots. The police are investigating the matter, with Harwinder Singh Sandhu, a Pakistan-based Khalistan terrorist, suspected to be involved. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also launched a parallel investigation.

Malviya’s comments followed Rahul Gandhi’s address to Indian Americans in the US, where Gandhi accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of discriminating against certain religions, languages, and communities. During his speech, Gandhi addressed a Sikh attendee, questioning, "What is your name, brother with the turban," and then said, "The fight is about whether a Sikh is going to be allowed to wear his turban in India or a kada in India. Or he, as a Sikh, is going to be able to go to a gurdwara. That's what the fight is about. And not just for him, for all religions."

Inputs from TOI