The death of former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, who was serving a life sentence in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, has landed the party in a fresh political soup in Punjab.
While tributes from Congress leaders outside Punjab have triggered a political backlash, the Punjab Congress leadership has so far maintained silence on the issue.
Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda described Kumar's death as "an irreparable loss" and said he had been regarded as a "role model" across the country. Congress leader Udit Raj too described Kumar's death as "a great and irreparable loss" for the party. The remarks have drawn sharp criticism.
The BJP has seized on the statements to target Congress, questioning how the party could honour a man convicted in the 1984 violence while Rahul Gandhi speaks of "mohabbat ki dukan."
Also read: Ex-Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, Convicted In 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case, Dies
The Shiromani Akali Dal has also hit out at the Congress, with senior leader Daljeet Singh Cheema saying: "That is exactly the point: even after he is gone, you are still defending him. It has been more than 40 years since 1984, and throughout all these years, you have kept defending him. Even now, if Congress party leaders continue to defend him, it is a sad thing."
AAP has also joined the attack. AAP leader Baltej Pannu said that Sajjan Kumar's death had exposed Congress's "real face towards minorities".
For Congress, the striking contrast is that while leaders outside Punjab have publicly condoled Kumar's death, no prominent Punjab Congress leader has issued a statement. That silence underlines just how politically sensitive the issue remains in Punjab, where the memory of 1984 continues to influence Sikh political sentiment.
The timing could hardly be more uncomfortable for the Congress. Punjab is already moving toward the 2027 Assembly elections, and Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit the state early next month as the party steps up its political activities.
