'Manmohan Singh's disclosure reveals that Rao was instructed by Rajiv Gandhi to not call in for Army'

SAD MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday termed the "disclosure" by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh regarding 1984 riots as "sensational" and said that the "massacre" was sponsored by none other than, the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Sirsa claimed that by the former Prime Minister's disclosure yesterday, it is very clear that the Narasimha Rao was instructed by the then Prime Minister not to call in for Army.

"This is sensational, I must say a disclosure by Dr Manmohan Singh, though we have been shouting since last 35 years, that this massacre was sponsored by none other than Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of the country," he said while speaking to ANI here.

"By disclosure of Manmohan Singh yesterday, it is very clear that the Narasimha Rao was instructed by the then Prime Minister not to call in for Army and also the message was given down the line by the then Home Minister PV Narasimha Rao that the attackers, the goons of this massacre should be protected. That was the reason that maximum damage could be given to the Sikh community," he said.

He also requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah "to enquire into this and come clean on this on how the Congress used the office of Prime Minister and Home Minister to kill the innocent Sikhs."

Congress leader KTS Tulsi reacting to the former Prime Minister's comment said, "I think that is the truth that the entire 'katleaam' would have been avoided if the army had been deployed and IK Gujral had advised the then Prime Minister into calling the army but that was not done."

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had on Wednesday said that Inder Kumar Gujral's advice to then home minister Narsimha Rao would have prevented the 1984 massacres if later had heard and acted over it.

Speaking at an event organised to remember former Prime Minister IK Gujral on his 100th birth anniversary, Singh had said, "When the sad event of 1984 took place, Gujral ji that very evening went to the then Home Minister Narsimha Rao and said to him that the situation is so grim that it is necessary for the government to call the army at the earliest. If that advice would have been heeded perhaps the massacre that took place in 1984 could have been avoided".