Sikh leaders and families affected by the 1984 anti-Sikh violence protested outside Rahul Gandhi’s Delhi residence on Saturday, demanding an apology over Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda’s remarks describing former party leader Sajjan Kumar as a “role model”.
The protest brought the sensitive legacy of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence back into the political spotlight after Sajjan Kumar, a former Congress MP convicted in cases linked to the violence, died on Thursday. Protesters questioned whether Hooda’s comments reflected the Congress party’s position and sought a clear response from Rahul Gandhi and the party leadership.
Several Sikh leaders and members of families affected by the 1984 violence gathered outside Rahul Gandhi’s residence at 5, Sunehri Bagh Road in New Delhi on Saturday.
The demonstration was led by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Harmeet Singh Kalka and general secretary Jagdeep Singh Kahlon. Heavy police barricading was deployed around the area as protesters gathered.
The demonstrators demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leadership over remarks they said had reopened painful memories for victims’ families.
Hooda Remark Sparks Row
The immediate trigger for the protest was a statement by Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda following Sajjan Kumar’s death.
Hooda described Kumar in positive terms and said he was “cited as a role model nationwide”. The remark triggered criticism from Sikh organisations, opposition parties and sections of the Congress itself.
DSGMC leaders questioned how a person convicted in a case connected to the 1984 violence could be described as a role model.
Congress Leaders Distance
The controversy also exposed differences within the Congress response.
Punjab Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla said Sajjan Kumar had committed wrongdoing and had been punished for his actions. He said the party stood with the victims of the violence.
Punjab Congress working president Raj Kumar Verka also said the priority should be supporting innocent people affected by the violence.
Their comments effectively distanced themselves from Hooda’s remarks and sought to underline support for the victims.
Protesters Demand Apology
The protesters demanded that Rahul Gandhi clarify whether the Congress endorsed the remarks made about Sajjan Kumar.
DSGMC leaders said the comments had hurt the sentiments of Sikh families who continue to remember the violence of 1984. They called for an apology from the Congress leadership and questioned why such remarks were being made after Kumar’s death.
The demonstration was held amid significant police deployment outside Gandhi’s residence.
Effigies Become Flashpoint
Visuals from the protest showed demonstrators carrying effigies and raising slogans against Congress leaders. Reports from the protest identified effigies representing Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Deepender Hooda, Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler.
The imagery added to the political intensity of the demonstration, although the central demand remained an apology and clarification from the Congress leadership.
Sajjan Kumar’s Legal Record
Sajjan Kumar was a former Congress leader and Lok Sabha member who was convicted in cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh violence.
The Delhi High Court sentenced him to life imprisonment in 2018 in the Raj Nagar case involving the killing of five members of a Sikh family and the burning of a gurdwara. He was later sentenced to another life term in a separate case in February 2025.
Kumar died at Safdarjung Hospital on August 20 while serving his sentence.
Political Row Intensifies
The protest has added another political confrontation around the Congress party’s handling of the legacy of the 1984 violence.
The BJP, AAP and Shiromani Akali Dal have criticised Hooda’s remarks, while Congress leaders in Punjab have publicly emphasised their support for victims.
For the Congress, the controversy comes at a politically sensitive time as the party faces renewed questions over how it addresses the legacy of the 1984 violence and the convictions of former party leaders.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The immediate focus is likely to remain on whether Rahul Gandhi or the Congress leadership issues a formal response to the protesters’ demands.
The controversy has also put renewed attention on statements made by individual Congress leaders and whether they represent the official position of the party.
For Sikh organisations and families affected by the 1984 violence, the demand remains clear: the Congress leadership should clarify its position and acknowledge the concerns raised over the description of Sajjan Kumar as a “role model”.
