Sikh Leaders Protest After Congress MP Calls Sajjan Kumar Role Model

Protests erupted in New Delhi on August 23, 2026, after Deepender Singh Hooda, a Congress MP, described former MP Sajjan Kumar as a "role model nationwide" and his death as an "irreparable loss." The demonstrations, led by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, took place outside the residence of Rahul Gandhi, with protesters demanding an apology from Gandhi and the Congress party for the remarks.

Sajjan Kumar died on August 21 at Safdarjung Hospital while serving two life sentences for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He had been convicted in the Raj Nagar case in 2018 and the Saraswati Vihar murder case in February 2025. The tribute sparked immediate condemnation from the BJP, the Shiromani Akali Dal, and within the Congress party itself.

Several Punjab Congress leaders distanced themselves from Hooda's comments. MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla and working president Raj Kumar Verka stated that Hooda's views were personal and that the party stands with the victims. Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi more harshly labeled Kumar a "traitor" and a "murderer of the Sikh community," asserting that projecting him as a role model is a "sin."

Opponents of the tribute, including BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu and SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, accused the Congress of shielding a convicted killer. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee stated that the praise for Kumar reopened the wounds of families affected by the 1984 violence and demanded a formal clarification from the party leadership.