NEW DELHI, August 22, 2026 : Several Sikh leaders and members of families affected by the 1984 anti-Sikh riots staged a protest outside Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s residence in New Delhi on Saturday, demanding an apology over remarks allegedly made by some Congress leaders describing former party leader Sajjan Kumar as a “hero” and “role model”.
The protest followed Kumar’s death on Thursday. The former Congress leader had been convicted in a case linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The demonstration was led by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Harmeet Singh Kalka and general secretary Jagdeep Singh Kahlon. Protesters gathered outside Gandhi’s residence at 5, Sunehri Bagh Road, where heavy police barricading was put in place.
Protesters Seek Clarification
A DSGMC leader questioned whether the Congress considered Sajjan Kumar a “hero” despite his conviction in cases related to the 1984 violence.
The leader demanded that Rahul Gandhi clarify the Congress’s position and said that remarks allegedly praising Kumar were deeply objectionable to the Sikh community.
The DSGMC also referred to a statement attributed to Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda, demanding that Gandhi apologise over what protesters described as insensitive remarks.
‘Wounds Reopened’
The protesters said the alleged comments had reopened painful memories for families affected by the violence that followed the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984.
“Forty-two years later, the wounds of our families have been reopened,” a DSGMC leader said, adding that Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders should acknowledge the concerns and apologise to the Sikh community.
The DSGMC had earlier said the protest was being organised after Congress leaders allegedly referred to Sajjan Kumar as a “role model”, arguing that such remarks had hurt the sentiments of victims and their families.
Heavy Police Presence
Police deployed substantial barricading around Gandhi’s residence as protesters assembled on Saturday afternoon. The demonstration remained focused on the demand for clarification and an apology from Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leadership.
The controversy has once again brought the politically and emotionally sensitive legacy of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence into public focus, with Sikh organisations demanding accountability and greater sensitivity in political statements concerning the victims and their families.
