Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday lashed out at Congress over INDIA bloc's November 1 rally against SIR, questioning why they have chosen the very day associated with one of the most painful memories of the Sikh community.
Saini said that the party had 365 days of the year to hold a rally, but its decision to choose November 1 raises serious questions. Anti-Sikh riots erupted across Delhi and other parts of the country following the assassination of the then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984
He said that the SIR of electoral rolls is not a new process, adding that removing the names of deceased persons, those who have shifted residence and duplicate entries is essential to maintaining clean electoral rolls and ensuring fair elections. No eligible citizen should be deprived of the right to vote, and adequate opportunities are available under the prescribed procedure to get one's name included in the electoral rolls.
Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's slogan, 'Mohabbat Ki Dukaan', Saini said that speaking about love and brotherhood is a good thing, but the real test lies in one's conduct and accountability. The Congress should explain what place the suffering of families affected by the 1984 violence has in its 'Mohabbat ki Dukaan' and why the party leadership remains silent on the serious statement made by its own Sikh leader.