BJP Leader Questions Sonia Gandhi's Account of 1984 Anti-Sikh Violence

BJP leader and senior advocate HS Phoolka has questioned Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi's account of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence in her newly released memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love , alleging that the account contradicts official records. Let us know! 👂 What type of content would you like to see from us this year? Reacting to reports that Sonia had written that the Army was called in on October 31, 1984, the day former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated, Phoolka said he had purchased the book to verify the claim. He maintained that, according to government records and the Misra Commission report, the Army was called in only on the evening of November 1 and arrived in Delhi the following evening. Citing the commission's findings, Phoolka said around 5,000 Army personnel were available in Delhi but were not deployed. He claimed the report stated that their deployment could have saved the lives of approximately 2,000 Sikhs. Phoolka also questioned Sonia's account of Indira Gandhi breaking down in tears while watching footage of Operation Blue Star's aftermath. Referring to a fact-finding report by Justice Tarkunde's team, he suggested that the former Prime Minister's alleged remorse was not supported by the available evidence, describing it as potentially 'crocodile tears'. Published by HarperCollins India, Sonia's memoir went on sale on Tuesday and recounts her personal journey from Italy to India, her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi and the losses that shaped her life.