Chandigarh, August 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on Thursday criticised both the Congress and the BJP over their respective responses to the death of Sajjan Kumar, arguing that the two parties had failed to adequately acknowledge the suffering of Sikh families affected by the 1984 violence.
In a video message, Pannu referred to the reaction of Congress leaders following the death of Sajjan Kumar, who was convicted by a court in a 1984 Sikh massacre case. He said Congress leader Deepinder Hooda had described Kumar as his “ideal” before subsequently withdrawing the remark.
Pannu said the BJP had strongly criticised Hooda and the Congress at the time but alleged that the party’s own conduct had now raised questions about its position.
He claimed that three BJP MPs attended Sajjan Kumar’s Shradhanjali Sabha (condolence meeting). According to Pannu, those present were West Delhi MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat, South Delhi MP Rambir Singh Bidhuri and North-West Delhi MP Yogender Chandolia.
Questioning their attendance, Pannu said BJP leaders had not similarly visited Sikh families displaced during the 1984 violence to share their grief.
“These are the same people who never went to the members of the Sikh community displaced in 1984, or visited their families to share their grief. But they have great sorrow over the death of Sajjan Kumar, who was convicted by a court,” he said.
Pannu alleged that the contrasting responses reflected what he described as a common approach of both the Congress and BJP towards minority communities, particularly Sikhs.
“Whether it is the Congress or the Bharatiya Janata Party, the conduct of both parties towards minorities has remained the same,” he said.
He questioned what he termed the “double standard” in expressing sympathy over Kumar’s death while, according to him, remaining silent about families affected by the 1984 violence.
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