Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday rebuked his party’s Indian Overseas Chairman Sam Pitroda for a remark about the 1984 violence. In a Facebook post, Gandhi said Pitroda’s comment was “absolutely and completely out of line and is not appreciated” and added that he must apologise.

In response to a reporter’s question about the violence, Pitroda had said, “Hua to hua [it happened, so what]”. He had later claimed the statement was “completely twisted, taken out of context because my Hindi isn’t good”. The reporter had asked Pitroda about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had ordered the violence in 1984 after two Sikh bodyguards assassinated his mother Indira Gandhi.

Gandhi said, “I think 1984 was a needless tragedy that caused tremendous pain. I think justice has to be done. The people who were responsible for the 1984 tragedy have to be punished. The Former PM, Manmohan Singh Ji has apologised. My mother, Sonia Gandhi Ji has apologised. We all have made our position very clear - that 1984 was a terrible tragedy and should never have happened.”

Earlier too, the party had distanced itself from Pitroda’s comment. “Any opinion remark made by any individual to the contrary including Sam Pitroda is not the opinion of the Congress party,” the Congress had said on Friday.

Several leaders from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had criticised Pitroda and the Congress for the remark. The National Commission for Minorities had also issued a notice to Pitroda based on a complaint filed by BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga. Congress leader and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was also among those who did not appreciate the remark. Singh had called Pitroda’s comment shocking.

Here is the full text of Gandhi’s post:

 I think what Sam Pitroda Ji said is completely out of line and he should apologise for it.

I think 1984 was a needless tragedy that caused tremendous pain.

I think justice has to be done. The people who were responsible for the 1984 tragedy have to be punished. The Former PM, Manmohan Singh Ji has apologised. My mother, Sonia Gandhi Ji has apologised. We all have made our position very clear - that 1984 was a terrible tragedy and should never have happened.

What Mr. Sam Pitroda has said is absolutely and completely out of line and is not appreciated. I will be communicating this to him directly. He must apologise for his comment.

— Rahul Gandhi/Facebook