I share PM, Sonia's apology over 1984 riots: Rahul

Rahul's had refrained from apologising for the riots had touched off a controversy with BJP, Akali Dal

Seeking to control damage resulting from his earlier comments on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi today said that he completely shared the sentiments of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had apologised and the party President Sonia Gandhi, who had expressed regrets.

He was asked by PTI during an interview here as to why he, as the Congress party's Vice President, had hesitated during a TV interview some weeks ago to apologise for the riots which followed the assassination of his grandmother and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984.

Gandhi replied, "The Prime Minister of the UPA has apologised and the President of the Congress party (has) expressed regrets. I share their sentiments completely."

During the TV interview when he was asked why he would not apologise for the riots, he had confined himself to saying, "innocent people died in 1984 and innocent people dying is a horrible thing and should not happen."

His failure then to apologise for the riots had touched off a controversy with BJP, Akali Dal and commentators attacking him.