If Rahul Gandhi had been talking about Muslims, he could have been given the benefit of doubt. There have clearly been hate crimes against the group, but dragging the Sikhs into the same boat with a scrap of evidence to back up his assertions is foolish.

Rahul Gandhi, sitting in America, sees fissures throughout Indian society. The Congressman, whom critics routinely accuse of exploiting the vulnerabilities of Muslim minority, has now turned his attention to the Sikhs.

Rahul Gandhi argues that the struggle in India is over whether Sikhs can wear turbans.if a Sikh will be permitted to wear a kada or visit the gurdwara. That is what the conflict is about, and it applies to all religions, not just Sikhs.”

Rahul Gandhi leads India’s opposition. Because this is such an important position, he must be both responsible and factual when speaking in public. Without adducing evidence to claim that Sikhs are under siege in India, the victims of some sort of Xenophobia perpetrated by the government is to callously sow the winds of disaffection which others may use to fuel the whirlwind of separatism.

If Rahul Gandhi had been talking about Muslims, he could have been given the benefit of doubt. There have clearly been hate crimes against the community, but dragging Sikhs into the same category without any evidence to back up his assertions is reckless.

Here are some factual facts that demonstrate Gandhi’s shady populist rhetoric.

First, the state of Punjab is home to around 77% of India’s Sikh population. This makes Sikhism the dominant religion in Punjab, where it is practiced by 16 million people, or 57.7% of the population. In other words, the Sikhs have numerical advantage and may express themselves absolutely. And they do.

For example, despite the fact that India is a secular republic, Punjab is the only state having a clearly defined blasphemy law. It was passed as a guarantee to Sikhs that their faith would be protected in India. Surprisingly, Captain Amarinder Singh, the Congress Chief Minister who successfully expanded the scope of the law in 2018, has joined the BJP. It seems to reason that Captain Amarinder Singh, a war veteran, a patriotic Sikh, and a former Gandhi family supporter, would not have joined the BJP if it was perceived as anti-Sikh.

Third, Sikhism is an integral component of Bharat’s dharmic socio-religious fabric. Sanatana and Sikhism are Dharmic traditions that share similar rituals. The Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, mentions Hindu gods and goddesses associated with the bhakti movement, including Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, Parvati, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Rama and Krishna. This link is civilisational and unbreakable. Let us not forget that this link is also vital for Sikhs. Thousands of Sikhs battled the Khalistan insurgents. Many were martyred preserving the unity of India. KPS Gill, the supercop who cleaned up militancy, was a Sikh.

In 2015, Modi’s NDA formed a SIT and reopened 300 anti-Sikh riot cases, resulting in the jail of several major accused, including Congress members. The NDA built the Kartarpur Sahib corridor and offered facilities for Sikh pilgrims to travel to Pakistan. The Modi government paved the path for Sikhs who had been persecuted in neighboring countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan to get citizenship under the CAA. The NDA also transformed Sultanpur Lodhi, the first Karam Bhumi of Guru Nanak Sahib, into a cutting-edge smart city. Many financial benefits have also been bestowed on the Sikh community and its religious institutions.

Restoring Sikh history has also been prioritized, with the Modi government enacting the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019, to repair the revered national monument.

At the individual level, Prime Minister Narendra Modi frequently discusses how he disguised himself as a Sikh during the Emergency. Photos of him wearing a turban and kada are widely circulated. For an individual who has always refused to sport the Muslim skull cap, opting to wear a turban speaks volumes about his regard for Sikhs and their faith.

The BJP is packed with Sikhs. Sikhs hold prominent positions in Prime Minister Modi’s government. Aside from the government, Sikhs proudly wear their turbans and kadas and work in a variety of public and private institutions.

Above and beyond these facts, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress lack moral authority to talk on Sikh security. Many Sikhs have pointed out the irony of Rahul Gandhi speaking about the community’s welfare yet the only time regular Sikhs in India experienced an existential crisis was during Congress control.

The phrase “When a big tree falls, the earth shakes” made by then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was interpreted as endorsing the violence. In May 2019, when questioned about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Sam Pitroda sparked outrage by responding, “So what?” to a query about former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s alleged role in the riots.

Jagdish Tytler’s claimed statement “We will teach them a lesson” was interpreted as advocating violence. Kamal Nath’s purported statement, “Khoon da badla khoon nahin, badla khoon ka badla” (“Blood for blood, but not revenge for revenge”), was seen as incendiary.

For years, Jagdish Tytler and Kamal Nath were shielded from punishment.

This is despite various panels established to investigate the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Congress Party has yet to openly recognize its role in covering up the riots.

Not only does the Congress have no moral authority to discuss Sikh welfare, but Rahul Gandhi’s words benefit both Pakistan and the United States.

Pakistan, which historically funded Khalistani secession, has attempted to resurrect the movement in Punjab. It has supported Khalistani terror groups on its turf and seeks to reintroduce these militants into the state whenever the opportunity arises. Amritpal Singh, a Bhindranwale wannabe imprisoned under UAPA, is a prime example. Pakistan can now utilize Rahul Gandhi’s false words to remind Sikhs of their obligation to fight the Indian state in order to save their compatriots who are “living in fear” in India.

The United States harbors Sikh fanatics who buy into their bogus persecution narrative. Rahul Gandhi’s statements provide cover for separatists to continue claiming victimization. The US State Department might very easily use Rahul Gandhi’s statements to discredit Delhi’s arguments that Khalistani separatists should be handed over to India because they are simple Pakistani proxy sponsored to destabilize the Indian state.

In the end, Rahul Gandhi’s latest story is a lose-lose example of scorched-earth politics.