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Haldwani: Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat on Monday evening visited the Gurudwara Guru Singh Sabha in Aadhat Bazaar, Haldwani, to apologize to the Sikh community.
His visit came after remarks by Congress leader Harak Singh Rawat sparked anger among Sikhs and created unease within the party.
Harish Rawat’s apology
Harish Rawat offered prayers at the gurdwara, performed Joda Seva (shoe service), served langar, and distributed prasad. He said, “We apologize to the Sikh community for any mistake that has occurred. Slips of the mouth can sometimes prove costly.”
Rawat added that the Sikh community is one of the proudest and most generous communities in India, and insulting them is unimaginable even in dreams. He emphasized that the Congress party respects all communities and regrets any hurt caused.
BJP’s counter attack
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly criticized Harish Rawat’s apology, calling it a “political gimmick.” BJP’s state media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said the Congress party was playing a drama of remorse after insulting the Sikh community. He alleged that Congress leaders were pursuing their own interests rather than genuinely respecting the community.
Chauhan argued that if Harish Rawat had shown such atonement earlier to the Sanatani community of Dev Bhoomi, the Congress party would not be facing an existential crisis. He accused Rawat of appeasement politics and said the public had not forgiven Congress for its past decisions, including issues related to the proposed Muslim University and Friday prayers.
Political war of words
Chauhan further criticized Congress for organizing events like the “Malta Party,” claiming they were politically motivated rather than focused on helping farmers. He praised the Modi government at the Centre and the Pushkar Singh Dhami government in Uttarakhand for implementing strong action plans for farmers and preserving local culture.
He also questioned whether Harish Rawat had identified “venomous men” within his party or forgiven them, suggesting that Rawat’s actions were meant to divert attention from the controversy.
