Sajjan Kumar was traitor, murderer of Sikh community: Congress MP Channi slams Depeendra Hooda's 'role model' remark

Protest Outside Rahul Gandhi's Residence Over 'Role Model' Remark for Sajjan Kumar

Sikh leaders and families affected by the 1984 anti-Sikh riots staged a protest outside Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's residence in New Delhi on Saturday, demanding an apology from the Congress over remarks by some of its leaders describing former party leader Sajjan Kumar as a "hero" and "role model". The protest, led by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Harmeet Singh Kalka and general secretary Jagdeep Singh Kahlon, saw demonstrators gather outside Gandhi's residence at 5, Sunehri Bagh Road amid heavy police barricading.

A DSGMC leader said during the protest: "After Sajjan Kumar’s death, the kind of statements given by Congress leaders saying Sajjan Kumar is our hero are objectionable. Rahul Gandhi has to clarify today whether Sajjan Kumar is their hero." The leader further added: "Forty-two years later, the wounds of our families have been reopened. Our sentiments have been hurt. Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders must acknowledge and apologise."

The controversy erupted following remarks by Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda after Kumar's death on Thursday. Hooda had described Kumar's death as an "irreparable loss" to the country's political landscape and praised his "connect with people and contribution to Delhi’s development".

The remarks triggered sharp reactions from within the Congress party itself. Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and MP Charanjit Singh Channi distanced themselves from Hooda's comments. Warring said that Hooda's comments may be his "personal view", stressing that for many, the wounds of the riots were still fresh. He added, "No person whether a Sikh or a non-Sikh can forget the pain and trauma of 1984. Despite the passage of so much time, the trauma runs deep in people’s minds."

Channi, in a video posted on X, called Kumar a "murderer of the Sikh community" and a "traitor", asserting that Kumar orchestrated the conspiracy behind the 1984 anti-Sikh massacres. He also said that Kumar should have been shot publicly, but died in jail while serving his sentence. Channi's remarks were reported by ANI, which quoted him as saying: "Sajjan Kumar is a murderer of the Sikh community and a traitor. He orchestrated the conspiracy to have Sikhs killed and massacred. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment twice. Back when I became Chief Minister, I demanded that he be taken care of. I told the Punjab government back then how ruthlessly these people had committed murder. This matter isn't just about the Sikh community; this individual has put humanity to shame."

Channi further described the atrocities committed during the 1984 riots, including killings, burning with tyres, and looting, saying that such actions can never be forgiven. He also criticized any attempts within the Congress to project Kumar as a role model, declaring that "even uttering his name is a sin".

The protest and reactions come in the wake of Kumar's death on August 20 at the age of 84 (as reported by ANI) or 80 (as reported by Hindustan Times). Kumar had been serving two life sentences in Tihar jail for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Delhi High Court on Tuesday closed proceedings in an appeal filed by Kumar challenging his conviction in a murder case linked to the riots, as the appeal abated following his death. A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan stated, "In view thereof, the present appeal would abate."

The case related to the killing of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984, a day after anti-Sikh riots erupted in Delhi following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Kumar was convicted on February 12, 2025, and sentenced to life imprisonment on February 25, 2025, in the case. While awarding the sentence, the trial court held that although the killing of "two innocent persons" was a grave crime, it did not fall within the "rarest of rare" category warranting the death penalty. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment in December 2018 in another 1984 anti-Sikh riots case involving the killing of five Sikhs and the burning of a gurdwara.

The DSGMC leader's comments during the protest reflect the deep hurt felt by the families of the victims, who see the remarks as reopening old wounds. The protesters demanded that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leadership clarify their stance and apologize for the statements made about Kumar.