Rahul Gandhi has no regret for 1984 anti-Sikh riots: Sukhbir Singh Badal

AMRITSAR: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today alleged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has "no regret or sorrow" for the Sikhs killed during the 1984 riots and "lacks" courage to take action against party leaders involved in it.


"Rahul lacks courage to take action against his party leaders (for 1984 riots)," Badal claimed on the sidelines of a rally.

"Rahul was sad after Tamil Nadu government yesterday decided to set free all the seven convicts in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi," the Deputy Chief Minister said, adding that, "but he has no regret and sorrow in his heart for the Sikhs killed."

The Jayalalithaa government had yesterday decided to set free all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case after the apex court had commuted the death penalty of three of them to life imprisonment.

However, today, the Supreme Court stayed release of three convicts by the Tamil Nadu government, saying there have been procedural lapses on the part of the state.

Rahul Gandhi yesterday said he was sad over the Tamil Nadu government's decision to set free all the seven people convicted in the assassination of his father.

Talking about the poll agenda of SAD-BJP, Badal said the two allies have a single point agenda, which is development.

"People want development, not false promises as always made by the Congress," he claimed.

Replying to a query about the role which Aam Aadmi Party could play in Punjab in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Deputy Chief Minister said that in a democracy everybody was welcome to fight elections.

He, however, claimed that the nascent party will have no impact in Punjab, which has 13 Lok Sabha seats.

Earlier, addressing a gathering after laying foundation stone for development works of Rs 285 crore here, Badal told that Bus Rapid Transit System has been sanctioned for Amritsar which would be initiated in a week as tender had already been invited for the project.

The BRTS would be implemented on the pattern of Istanbul (Turkey) in Amritsar at a cost of Rs 500 crore.