PM’s 1984 remarks shocking,says Badal

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday condemned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remark that the 1984 anti-Sikh riot issue could not be kept alive forever and alleged that it was made at the behest of 10,Janpath.

“The remarks are unbelievable,shocking and most painful,” the SAD supremo said adding that the PM had “grossly misjudged” the sentiments of the entire nation on the issue. “This is really heartless and shocking to the extreme and I cannot believe that the Prime Minister can be so insensitive to the horrendous tragedy. Clearly,he has been forced to make this statement under pressure from 10,Janpath (the residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi),” Badal said in a statement.

He said the remarks further confirmed the impression that the PM was “not the master of his own conscience.” “He is making statements under pressure from the Congress high command represented by the Nehru-Gandhi family.”

The PM had said in a rally in Ludhiana on Monday that the 1984 anti-Sikh riots were painful but the issue could not be kept alive forever.