Indira, Rajiv bled for India: Sibal takes on Modi over 'shahi parivar' dig at Congress

Former Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday (May 8) hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his “shahi parivar” dig at the Congress and said the country saw former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi “bleed” for India.

Sibal tweeted: “PM said: Congress Shahi Parivar wants Karnataka to secede from India. But Modiji: The nation saw them bleed for India — Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi.”

Also read: Wrestlers’ protest: Kapil Sibal raises question of ‘pliant investigation’

“Is the NCERT going to efface those facts from textbooks?” Sibal asked.

Indira and Rajiv were assassinated in 1984 and 1991 respectively, the former by two of her Sikh bodyguards and the latter by Tamil Tiger guerrillas.

Also read: Kapil Sibal announces new platform to fight injustice in India

Sibal’s defence of the Gandhis came although he quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an independent member with the Samajwadi Party’s support.

He recently floated a non-electoral platform Insaaf aimed at fighting injustice.

Also read: Party moves on ‘eyes wide shut’, Kapil Sibal slams Congress leadership

Addressing a public meeting on Sunday in Karnataka, where assembly elections are due on May 10, Modi said the Congress believes that the state was separate from India.

(With inputs from agencies)