Why so much sympathy? AAP slams BJP, Congress over Sajjan Kumar condolence visit

AAP has attacked the BJP and Congress over leaders visiting Sajjan Kumar's residence after his death. The row has revived questions of accountability and political positioning over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.AAP has attacked the BJP and Congress over leaders visiting Sajjan Kumar's residence after his death. (PTI Photos)A political row over visits to condole the death of Sajjan Kumar, the former Congress leader convicted in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, has intensified, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) targeting both the BJP and Congress and demanding action against leaders who went to his residence.Kumar, who was serving two life sentences in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, died on August 20.AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj has demanded that BJP president Nitin Nabin take action against three Delhi MPs who visited Kumar's residence, while Congress's Rahul Gandhi should act against Delhi party president Devender Yadav, whom the AAP accused of overseeing arrangements for Kumar's condolence meeting.The BJP has already summoned MPs Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and Yogender Chandolia over their visit to Kumar's residence. Bharadwaj, however, said the BJP action was not enough and questioned the party's position on Sajjan Kumar.“Why do the Congress and BJP have so much sympathy for Sajjan Kumar, the killer of Sikhs?” he asked, alleging that the BJP MPs' visit was “shameful for the entire community." The AAP leader also attacked the Congress, saying the party could not claim to stand for justice for victims of the 1984 violence while being associated with Kumar's condolence gathering.“Whose side are you on?” Bharadwaj asked the Congress leadership, alleging that the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee had officially sent invitations to the condolence meeting and that Yadav had overseen its arrangements.“If the Congress Pradesh Committee stands with Sajjan Kumar even after the charges against him were proven, then Rahul Gandhi’s apology to the Sikhs turns out to have been a lie,” he said.Kumar was convicted in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case and sentenced to life imprisonment. His death has since triggered a fresh political confrontation over the decades-old violence and the question of accountability for those accused of involvement.AAP MLA Jarnail Singh also questioned the BJP MPs' decision to attend the condolence gathering, asking whether they had considered the victims and their families before paying tribute to Kumar.“Forty-two years after that massacre, it is extremely shocking to see BJP leaders mourning the death of one of the killers,” Singh said.Former AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi alleged that the episode exposed a wider understanding between the BJP and Congress over the 1984 riots.“The BJP and Congress are hand in glove and have continuously protected each other to ensure that justice is not delivered,” he alleged.- EndsPublished By: Karishma Saurabh KalitaPublished On: Aug 31, 2026 07:55 IST