Congress leader Deepender Hooda, who has come under fire from the leaders of his own party across Punjab and Haryana for describing anti-Sikh riot convict Sajjan Kumar as a "role model" after the latter's death, has made a U-turn.
The Lok Sabha MP said he was being attacked for words he didn't utter.
He said he has always stood by the Sikh community.
"We share a centuries-old bond of brotherhood with the Sikh community; our family has been connected with them through both joy and sorrow, and we have stood by them in every struggle," he said.
"Whenever the issue of the rights of our Sikh brethren has arisen, we have always supported them. We stood with them during the farmers' protest. Regarding the 1984 riots, we have clearly stated that a grave injustice occurred. Those responsible must face the strictest punishment, and the Sikhs deserve justice. This has been our consistent stance from the very beginning, and that is why we stand firmly with the Sikh community," he added.
Criticism From Within The Congress
Senior Haryana Congress leader and former Speaker Kuldeep Sharma has demanded action against Hooda over the row.
He wrote to the high command demanding Hooda's removal from the party's membership and the Congress Working Committee, the highest decision-making panel. He said eulogising a polarising figure like Sajjan Kumar could carry adverse political ramifications for the party.
Former Punjab chief minister and Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi also criticised Hooda.
"When I became chief minister, I demanded that he be handed over to me so I could demonstrate, on behalf of the Punjab government, how he had murdered humanity. This is not just about the Sikh community; this man has brought shame to humanity," he said.
"No amount of condemnation is enough. This man (Sajjan Kumar) was a traitor. Praising him as a role model - or even uttering his name - is a sin. If such people become role models, the country will be ruined. He should have been shot dead in a public square, not merely subjected to a legal battle. Sajjan Kumar died while serving his sentence - not in the comfort of his home, but in prison. He deserved to rot away there. If anyone calls him their role model, they ought to watch their words and check themselves," he added.
Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring had also reacted to Deepender Hooda's statement.
"Those who committed atrocities against innocent people cannot escape divine justice," he said, distancing himself from the remark.
