New Delhi: During an interaction on 21 April at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University in the United States, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi responded to a question from a Sikh student referencing the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the party's historical relationship with the Sikh community.

In his reply, Gandhi said, “A lot of those mistakes happened when I was not there, but I am more than happy to take responsibility for everything the Congress party has ever done wrong in its history.” He reiterated that he has publicly acknowledged that what occurred in the 1980s was wrong and said he has a "loving relationship" with the Sikh community, noting multiple visits to the Golden Temple.

Gandhi also spoke about religious pluralism and the values he associates with Indian tradition. While addressing broader ideological issues, he remarked, “All our mythological figures, Lord Ram was of that kind, where he was forgiving, he was compassionate,” distinguishing his views from what he described as the BJP’s narrow interpretation of Hinduism.

His reference to Lord Ram as a “mythological figure” drew immediate criticism from BJP leaders. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT department, posted a video of the session and accused Gandhi of continuing to insult Hindu sentiments. “Bhagwan Ram is not a mythological figure. He is the soul of Bharat,” Malviya stated, asserting that the Congress has a long record of disrespecting Hindu beliefs.

Malviya further said that Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders are now “ridiculed not just in India, but around the world.” He also reminded the public of the Congress-led UPA government’s 2007 affidavit in the Supreme Court which questioned the historical existence of Lord Ram in the context of the Ram Setu case.

Gandhi, in the same session, also called the BJP a “fringe group” that had amassed power but did not represent the broader ideological stream of Indian thinkers, who, he said, were inclusive and non-violent.

The BJP has used this interaction to double down on its narrative that Congress is “anti-Sanatan” and disconnected from Hindu values, especially in the lead-up to the 2024 general election.