New Delhi, June 12, 2004
UNI

Visiting the historical Bangla Sahib Gurdwara for the first time after assuming the high office, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today decried the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the 2002 Gujarat communal carnage as ''unfortunate'' and said an atmosphere needs to be created to ensure that such events do not recur.

''A reference has been made to the 1984 riots. I can understand the pain and agony of the Sikhs. Painful incidents like this and the Gujarat riots should not have taken place and should never happen again," he said addressing an unusually large congregation which had assembled at the Gurdwara.

Dr Manmohan Singh made his speech in colloquial Punjabi in the sanctum sactorum after paying obeisance to the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs.

He had gone to the holy shrine for ''Thanks Giving.'' The Prime Minister said all sections of the society should work to help maintain peace and harmony in the country.

Dr Manmohan Singh said India needs to regain its glory of being a "golden sparrow," adding that there was need for "a new dawn of prosperity.