Jaitley blames Congress for terrorism in Punjab; sympathises with Punjabis

Launching attack on Congress, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday termed the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as one of the "biggest examples of destruction" the country witnessed during the Congress rule. He also said that terrorism in Punjab spread because of mistakes of Congress.

"I sometimes say when history will be written, 1984 will be known, 'vinash ka saal' (year of destruction)... When Congress was in power, the kind the destruction we witnessed, 1984 was one of the biggest examples of that," he alleged at a function in Amritsar to mark the Punjabi Suba Golden Jubilee. "Terrorism spread in Punjab because of the mistakes of Congress. Punjab and Punjabis faced the maximum consequences during that time," Jaitely alleged.

"Dismissing governments, terrorism, putting democracy in danger, not allowing other governments to finish their terms, putting people behind bars and putting the 1984 blot on the country, were part of its regime," he claimed. He lauded Punjab and its people for successfully fighting several kinds of difficulties.

"When the country faced the danger of poverty, Punjab was ahead in making contributions toward the Green Revolution. Punjab then faced the (Indo-Pak) 1971 war bravely. There was no such problem that Punjab did not face," Jaitley said. During the Emergency, when "democracy was in danger", the biggest 'Satyagraha' was done by SAD and Jan Sangh, he claimed.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has given heritage status to Jallianwala Bagh and Amritsar. The city was also selected under the Smart City Mission, the Union Minister said. Congress and its domination are getting weaker, he claimed, adding there is a new confidence in India under the leadership of Modi."India is now the fastest growing economy. Today no one can play mischief with us. The whole world knows that we have different kind of government," Jaitley claimed.

"If an enemy makes any attempt at the border or if anyone conspires against India, it will get the same reply as it has been getting for the last two-months," he said.