Cong distances itself from Khurshid's remarks

Distancing itself from Salman Khurshid's remark that the party's hands were stained with blood, the Congress said it disagreed with it "in toto" and reminded its leaders that "such unfounded" statements only helped those in power today.

Speaking to reporters, Congress spokesperson Randip Singh Surjewala said he has not completely read or heard Khurshid's statement except for the information passed on to him but his party disagrees with such comments in toto.

"Everyone must know that both prior and post independence, Congress is the only party, which has worked towards building an egalitarian society by carrying all sections of people together including scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, poor, religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities of this country," Surjewala said.

He cautioned people that these intrinsic foundational values are under attack today more than ever by the ruling BJP and the Modi government.

In this context, all leaders must remember that such unfounded statements only help the cause of those in power today, who seek to divide the society on caste, communal or regional lines to retain and attain power at any cost, the Congress leader added.

Khurshid made the remark that the Congress has blood on its hands at the Aligarh Muslim University on Sunday acknowledging that communal riots and other sectarian acts did take place during the Congress rule.

In response to a student accusing the Congress of having Muslim blood on its hands and asking how the party proposed to wash it off, Khurshid said, "It is a political question. There is blood on our hands. I am also a part of the Congress so let me say it, we have blood on our hands.