Amritsar/Chandigarh, August 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab senior leader and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Saturday condemned Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda’s reported statement describing Sajjan Kumar as his role model, saying it had hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community.
Addressing a press conference, Dhaliwal said the wounds associated with the 1984 anti-Sikh violence remained deeply painful for Sikhs and questioned whether Hooda’s remarks reflected the official position of the Congress party.
He demanded that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge take immediate action against Hooda and clarify the party’s position.
Dhaliwal also criticised the silence of Punjab Congress leaders, naming Partap Singh Bajwa, Pargat Singh, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Charanjit Singh Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Gurjit Singh Aujla and Dr Amar Singh. He urged them to publicly state whether they endorsed Hooda’s remarks and demanded that Congress clarify whether it stood with families affected by the 1984 violence.
He said the Sikh community could not forget Operation Blue Star, the attack on Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the violence reported in Delhi, Kanpur and other parts of the country in 1984. He alleged that statements of this nature further hurt the community’s sentiments.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s proposed visit to Punjab and Amritsar, Dhaliwal said the Congress leader should first clarify his position on the controversy before seeking support from people in the state.
The AAP leader also targeted the Shiromani Akali Dal over speculation about a possible alliance with the BJP. He asked SAD leaders Bikram Singh Majithia and Harsimrat Kaur Badal to explain the basis for such an alliance, recalling the party’s earlier criticism of national parties over Punjab’s rights.
Dhaliwal referred to L.K. Advani’s book My Country, My Life and its references to Operation Blue Star, asking the Akali leadership to explain its position on the political and historical legacy while considering an alliance with the BJP.
He also questioned the SAD’s position on the farmers’ agitation against the farm laws, noting that Harsimrat Kaur Badal had resigned from the Union Council of Ministers amid the protests. He further sought clarity from the Akali leadership on the Centre’s proposed India-US trade framework and its implications for Punjab’s agricultural sector.
Dhaliwal said the AAP would continue to raise issues concerning Punjab irrespective of political alliances. He claimed that development and welfare initiatives undertaken by the Bhagwant Mann government would help the party withstand any opposition alliance.
The allegations and political claims made by Dhaliwal were not independently established in the material provided.
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