‘Nothing wrong,’ Rahul Gandhi defends his remarks on Sikhs earlier endorsed by Pannun

Congress lawmaker and the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (Sep 21) gave clarification on his controversial remarks on Sikhs during his recent trip to the United States. He took to X and accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of resorting to lies and not standing up to the truth.

"As usual, the BJP is resorting to lies. They are desperate to silence me because they cannot stand the truth. But I will always speak up for the values that define India: our unity in diversity, equality, and love," Gandhi posted.

It is to be noted that while delivering a speech in Washington DC on September 10, Gandhi said that Sikhs in India had to fight to wear a turban in India. "The fight is about if a Sikh is allowed to wear a turban in India, or whether a Sikh is allowed to wear a kara in India, or if a Sikh is going to be able to go to Gurdwara. That's what the fight is about. And this is for all religions," Gandhi said while talking about the importance of religious freedom.

A massive controversy erupted after his remarks were backed by Sikh separatists and a designated Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The terrorist said that Rahul Gandhi’s remarks "corroborates with Sikhs For Justice's (SFJ) stance on the justification of Punjab's Independence Referendum to establish Sikh homeland Khalistan."

The SFJ is outlawed in India for threatening the country's national security and territorial integrity.

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Gandhi on Saturday defended his remarks, saying there was nothing wrong in it.

"I want to ask every Sikh brother and sister in India and abroad – is there anything wrong in what I have said? Shouldn't India be a country where every Sikh – and every Indian – can freely practice their religion without fear?" Gandhi posted.

(With inputs from agencies)