Manmohan Singh blames PV Narasimha Rao for anti-sikh riots

New Delhi: Giving then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi a clean chit, former PM Manmohan Singh has put the blame on then home minister P.V. Narasimha Rao for the escalation of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Dr Singh said the riots could have been avoided if Narasimha Rao called in the Army to intervene and stop the violence. Speaking at an event on the birth centenary of former PM Inder Kumar Gujral, Dr Singh said Gujral had informed Rao that the situation was grave.

“When the sad event of 1984 took place, Gujralji on that very sad evening went to Narasimha Rao and told him the situation is so grave that it is necessary to call in the Army. If that advice had been heeded, perhaps the massacre could have been avoided,” he said.