Sajjan Kumar remarks expose Congress’ insensitivity towards 1984 victims: Manjinder Sirsa
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 23, 2026: Delhi Cabinet Minister and former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Sunday criticised the Congress over remarks by its leaders praising former party leader Sajjan Kumar, who was convicted in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Sirsa said the remarks had hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community, which, he said, continued to bear the pain of the violence that claimed thousands of lives and left families waiting for justice for decades.
Referring to Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda’s remarks about Sajjan Kumar, Sirsa said a letter of objection reportedly written by former senior Congress leader Kuldeep Sharma to the party leadership showed that there was disagreement within the Congress itself over the issue.
“Why does the Congress repeatedly reopen the old wounds of the Sikh community through such statements? Why is it so insensitive towards the Sikh community?” Sirsa asked.
He contrasted the Congress’ position with the steps taken by BJP-led governments on cases related to the 1984 riots. Sirsa said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to pursue cases related to the violence. He said several cases that had earlier been closed were reopened and investigated, leading to convictions where sufficient evidence was found, including Sajjan Kumar’s conviction in 2018.
Sirsa Highlights Work for 1984 Riot Victim Families
Sirsa said he had been associated with the struggle for justice for victims of the 1984 violence for several years and had raised their issues both in public forums and through legal proceedings.
He said the Delhi Government under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was now continuing efforts to address the concerns of affected families, particularly pending employment cases.
According to Sirsa, the Delhi Government has formulated a policy under which eligible members of the next generation of affected families can be considered for government employment in cases where the original dependent has crossed the prescribed age limit.
He said the government had also expedited the identification and verification of victim families to help them achieve greater economic security.
Sirsa said appointment letters were handed over to members of affected families in May 2025 in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, while appointments were also provided to 36 dependents in December 2025. He claimed that appointment letters would be issued to members of hundreds of more families in the coming days.
“This is not merely a process of providing jobs; it is an effort to empower families who have waited for justice and dignity for four decades and help them secure a better future for their children,” Sirsa said.
Congress Should Apologise, Says Sirsa
Calling upon the Congress to apologise to the Sikh community, Sirsa said the party needed to clarify whether it stood with the families affected by the 1984 violence or with the political legacy of leaders associated with the cases arising from the riots.
He said the Sikh community did not need political rhetoric but justice, dignity and a secure future for the next generation.
Sirsa maintained that the constitution of the SIT by the Centre and the Delhi Government’s efforts to provide employment to affected families demonstrated the commitment of BJP governments towards addressing the long-pending concerns of 1984 riot victims.