Sikhs protest outside Rahul Gandhi's residence against Congress leaders calling Sajjan Kumar ‘hero’
Sikh community members protested outside Rahul Gandhi's residence to demand an apology for comments made by Congress leaders praising the late Sajjan Kumar. Kumar was convicted for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, and protesters view the praise as an insult to the victims.
Why it matters
The protest underscores the enduring political sensitivity and historical trauma surrounding the 1984 riots in Indian politics.
Several Sikh leaders and members of families affected by the 1984 anti-Sikh riots staged a protest outside Rahul Gandhi’s residence on Saturday, demanding an apology over remarks by certain Congress leaders allegedly describing former party leader Sajjan Kumar as a “hero” and “role model”.
The protest came after Sajjan Kumar, a former Congress leader, died on Thursday (August 20, 2026). He had been convicted in a case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The protesters, led by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Harmeet Singh Kalka and general secretary Jagdeep Singh Kahlon, gathered outside Mr. Gandhi’s residence at 5, Sunehri Bagh Road amid heavy police barricading.
A DSGMC leader said the Congress should clarify whether Kumar, who was convicted in cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, was being regarded as a “hero”.
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