Union Home Minister Amit Shah on 1 November 2026 launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of insulting the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by organising the INDIA bloc rally in Delhi on the very day that marks the massacre's anniversary. Shah made the remarks at an event in Chandigarh, calling the timing of the rally a deliberate act of disrespect.

Shah's Core Charge: History Repeating Itself

Drawing a direct parallel between father and son, Shah invoked the infamous remark attributed to Rajiv Gandhi after the 1984 violence — 'when a big tree falls, the earth shakes' — and argued that Rahul Gandhi was now compounding that insult by holding a political rally on the day thousands of Sikhs were killed. 'Rahul Baba, by organising a rally on the day of the Sikh massacre, you have exposed that your Mohabbat Ki Dukaan is, in reality, a shop of hatred,' Shah said at the Chandigarh event.

BJP's Appeal and Rahul Gandhi's Decision

According to Shah, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had formally appealed through a press conference that no political rallies be held on 1, 2 and 3 November, describing these as days of mourning associated with the anti-Sikh riots. Shah alleged that Rahul Gandhi ignored this appeal and remained 'adamant' about proceeding with the rally. He further claimed that Delhi's traders had separately requested Gandhi to postpone the event beyond Diwali, citing business disruption, but were also rebuffed.

Political Predictions and Parliamentary Accusations

Accusing Gandhi of disrespecting both the riot victims and Delhi's business community, Shah drew a direct line to Congress's electoral performance in the capital. 'This is the reason Delhi's small traders ensured that the Congress failed to open its account in the last three elections. Remember my words: it will fail to open its account in the next three elections as well,' he said. Shah also accused Gandhi of 'spreading lies and anarchy' and disrupting parliamentary proceedings, including allegedly blocking legislation on 33 per cent reservation for women. 'PM Modi will ensure that the women of India receive 33 per cent reservation. This is our resolve,' Shah added.

Modi Government's Actions on 1984 Cases

Shah reiterated that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken concrete steps on the 1984 riots, including reopening cases against those accused of orchestrating the violence, providing financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each to victims' families, and sending 'prominent Congress leaders involved in the riots to jail.' He described the anti-Sikh violence as 'a politically sponsored massacre the likes of which India had never witnessed' and pledged it would never recur.

Context and What Comes Next

The remarks come as 1 November marks the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which followed the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 31 October 1984 and resulted in the deaths of thousands of Sikhs, predominantly in Delhi. The violence remains a deeply sensitive and politically charged subject in India, particularly in Punjab. Shah's salvo is likely to intensify the BJP-Congress contest ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, with the Sikh community's sentiments at the centre of the political narrative. The INDIA bloc has not yet formally responded to Shah's remarks.