New Delhi, Aug 25: Union Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal has launched a sharp attack on Congress president Rahul Gandhi, for his claim that the Congress had "no role" in the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.

Badal said the remarks of the Gandhi scion were akin to saying that no Sikhs were massacred in the pogrom three decades ago. Retorting with a controversial jibe, the Minister said she may use the same logic to claim that Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were not killed in terror strikes, but died of natural causes.

"I say today with Rahul Gandhi's brain, that I'm putting in place of my brain. If as per him Sikh massacre never took place then as per me his father (Rajiv) and grandmother (Indira) were never assassinated, they died of normal heart attack," Badal was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Notably, Indira Gandhi was killed by her bodyguards who were aggrieved by her move to allow the Indian forces enter inside the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Her son and Rahul's father, Rajiv Gandhi, was murdered by LTTE activists.

Rahul Gandhi's statement on 1984 riots came while addressing a gathering of Indian diaspora in London. The Congress chief, while claiming that the riots were a "painful tragedy", added that his party had no role in it.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday defended Gandhi, saying he did not absolve a section of the partymen who are facing accusation, but only reiterated that the Congress is not anti-Sikh. "Manmohan Singh ji had apologised in the Parliament for the terrible incident," Chidambaram added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 25, 2018 05:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).