“I Too May Be Killed Like My Father, Grandmother”, Says Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI – Accusing BJPof fanning communal flames,Rahul Gandhi on Wednesdaysaid the party’s “politics ofhatred” was damaging the country’sfabric and apprehended hemay also be assassinated like hisgrandmother and father, whohad fallen victim to it.Striking an emotional chord, theCongress vice-president saidthat when he visited riot-hitMuzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradeshsometime back and talked toboth Hindus and Muslims, hecould see his own story in theirwords.”I was seeing my face in theirgrief. That is why I am againsttheir (BJP’s) politics….What dothey do. They will putMuzaffarnagar on fire, Gujaraton fire, UP on fire and Kashmiron fire and then you and we willhave to douse that. This damagesthe country,” Gandhi said.He said that such politics leadsto anger and resentment andprecious lives are lost in violence.”My grandmother waskilled. My father was assassinatedand perhaps I may also bekilled one day. I am not bothered.I had to tell you what I feltfrom the heart,” Gandhi saidand vowed to oppose BJP’s politics.Gandhi, whose grandmotherIndira Gandhi was killedby her Sikh bodyguards duringthe militancy days in Punjab andfather Rajiv Gandhi was assassinatedby LTTE, also narrated anincident of an MLA fromPunjab visiting his office recentlyand telling him that had theymet 20 years ago, he would havekilled the Congress VicePresident due to anger.”Anybody can get angry. Theanger is deliberately put intopeople. Politicians do it.Interested party does it. Andthen the common man, who ishurt has to carry this anger withhim. He moves everywhere withthis anger. That is why I amagainst the politics of BJP.Because what they do is thatthey hurt (people) for politicalgains.” He told the gathering,which included a number ofSikhs, that after the assassinationof her grandmother, hecame to know that the assassinsSatwant Singh and Beant Singhwanted lob a grenade at hergrandmother on Diwali.Gandhi said it took him 10 15years to put aside his angeragainst his friends Beant Singhand Satwant Singh, who werebodyguards of his grandmother.