📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / ABP Sanjha
Politics
Punjab Leaders Clash Over Tribute to Late Ex-Congress MP Sajjan Kumar
✍️ Amar Ujala · Punjab
🗓 22 Aug 2026, 02:33 PM
👁 4
After former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar’s death, a tribute by party leaders sparked a sharp dispute in Punjab, with Deepender Hooda’s remarks prompting a furious response from former minister Channi.
Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, who was convicted for his role in the 1984 anti‑Sikh riots, passed away recently. Following his death, senior Congress figures offered public tributes, a move that quickly drew criticism from sections of Punjab’s political establishment.
Congress leader Deepender Hooda made remarks praising Kumar’s political career, which were seized upon by former minister Channi. In a televised interview, Channi condemned Hooda’s comments, saying that even mentioning Kumar’s name was a sin and that the former MP could not be considered a role model.
The exchange has intensified an already volatile atmosphere in Punjab politics, with parties accusing each other of attempting to rewrite the narrative of the 1984 violence. Observers note that the controversy underscores lingering communal sensitivities and the challenges of reconciling historical accountability with contemporary political rhetoric.
No official response has been issued by the Congress leadership regarding Channi’s criticism, and the debate is expected to continue in the state’s public forums.
Congress leader Deepender Hooda made remarks praising Kumar’s political career, which were seized upon by former minister Channi. In a televised interview, Channi condemned Hooda’s comments, saying that even mentioning Kumar’s name was a sin and that the former MP could not be considered a role model.
The exchange has intensified an already volatile atmosphere in Punjab politics, with parties accusing each other of attempting to rewrite the narrative of the 1984 violence. Observers note that the controversy underscores lingering communal sensitivities and the challenges of reconciling historical accountability with contemporary political rhetoric.
No official response has been issued by the Congress leadership regarding Channi’s criticism, and the debate is expected to continue in the state’s public forums.