Senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda on Friday said that he was misrepresented over his ‘hua toh hua’ remark over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and expressed regret over the controversial statement.
“What I meant was move on. We have other issues to discuss as to what BJP government did and what it delivered. I feel sorry that my remark was misrepresented, I apologise. This has been blown out of proportion,” he said.
Clarifying further, Pitroda said: “The statement I made was completely twisted, taken out of context because my Hindi isn’t good, what I meant was ‘jo hua vo bura hua,’ I couldn’t translate ‘bura’ in my mind.”
Sam Pitroda, Congress on his remarks on ’84 riots: The statement I made was completely twisted, taken out of context because my Hindi isn’t good, what I meant was ‘jo hua vo bura hua,’ I couldn’t translate ‘bura’ in my mind. pic.twitter.com/ZATArjpC79
— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2019
Earlier, the Congress distanced itself from Pitroda’s comment on the 1984 riots that has set up a huge controversy, underlining that the party supports the ‘quest for justice’ for the victims.
.@INCIndia party issues statement over @sampitroda ‘s remark on 1984 anti-Sikh riots. States, ‘…We continue to support the quest for justice for 1984 riot victims. Any opinion remark made by any individual to the contrary including Pitroda is not the opinion of Congress party’ pic.twitter.com/RjcgNCgsRf
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) May 10, 2019
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The Congress’s clarification came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi told an election rally in Haryana’s Rohtak on Friday that Pitroda’s remark was a reflection of the Congress’s ‘arrogance and character’.
Sam Pitroda, in charge of the Indian Overseas Congress, made the remarks on Thursday while replying to questions on the BJP’s claim that the 1984 riots took place on the orders of former PM Rajiv Gandhi.
“I don’t think so, this is also another lie, and what about 1984? You speak about what you have done in five years. It happened in 1984, so what? (1984 hua toh hua). What have you done?” Pitroda was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.