Facing backlash over his alleged remarks describing former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar as a "role model", Rohtak Congress MP Deepender Hooda on Sunday denied using the phrase and expressed regret if his comments hurt anyone's feelings.
Kumar, a controversial former Congress MP who was serving two life sentences in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, died at the age of 80 on Thursday.
Also Read | Sajjan Kumar row: Punjab Congress distances itself from Hooda’s ‘irreparable loss’ remark
Hooda on Sajjan Kumar's death
Deep Dive
Why did Deepender Hooda face backlash over his comments on Sajjan Kumar?
How did Deepender Hooda respond to the criticism of his remarks about Sajjan Kumar?
What actions did fellow Congress leaders take in response to Deepender Hooda's remarks regarding Sajjan Kumar?
While condoling Kumar's death, Hooda had described it as a "loss to the country's political landscape" and praised the former MP's "connect with people and contribution to Delhi's development".
The remarks triggered criticism from within the Congress, with senior Haryana Congress leader Kuldeep Sharma writing to party president Mallikarjun Kharge and seeking Hooda's removal from the Congress Working Committee (CWC) for "extolling the virtues" of Sajjan Kumar.
Hooda's comments also drew sharp reactions in Punjab, where the SAD, BJP and AAP accused the Congress of having an "anti-Sikh mindset".
{{/usCountry}}Hooda's comments also drew sharp reactions in Punjab, where the SAD, BJP and AAP accused the Congress of having an "anti-Sikh mindset".
{{/usCountry}}Asked by reporters in Gurugram on Sunday whether he had called Kumar a role model, Hooda said, "I did not use the words, nor did I harbour any such sentiment."
He added, "These words are being put in my mouth by those who wish to play politics by undermining the spirit of brotherhood. I had no intention of hurting anyone's feelings; those who know me are aware that I never harboured any intent to cause hurt to anyone."
Also Read | Punjab Congress distances itself from Deepender’s remarks on Sajjan
Statement being ‘distorted’: Hooda
Hooda later posted a video on X seeking to clarify his remarks on Sajjan Kumar.
"For the past two days, I have observed that my statement is being distorted and presented out of context. An English word – 'role model' – is being attributed to me, which I never uttered, nor did I ever intend to convey any such meaning.
"I had absolutely no intention of hurting anyone. And I could never even imagine causing hurt to our brothers in the Sikh community," Hooda said.
He added, "Nevertheless, the Sikh community is like family to us. If anyone's feelings have been hurt, I express my regret as your brother. My intention or objective was never to cause anyone pain."
Hooda, who ended the video with "Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh", called the Sikh community a glorious part of the nation and said, "I take pride in a community whose sacrifices for us can never be forgotten."
"Whether it is the defence of our borders or the struggle for Independence, we take pride in the sacrifices the Sikh community has made for the nation; we share a bond akin to family. Whenever the need arose, we always stood together like brothers – that is the nature of our relationship," he said.
"During the recent farmers' agitation (against the now repealed farm laws), when our farmer brothers arrived from Punjab, I was among the first to reach out and stand with them. We have always stood together in every struggle," Hooda said.
"On the events of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, we stand with the Sikh community in their fight for justice. They deserve justice, and no guilty person should be spared," Hooda said in the video.
AAP MLA on ‘wounds of 1984’
The clarification came after AAP MLA from Punjab Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Saturday said the wounds of the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre remained alive in the hearts of Sikhs and described Hooda's remarks as deeply hurtful.
"If a senior Congress leader calls Sajjan Kumar his role model, it raises serious questions about the mindset and politics of the party," Dhaliwal said.
Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon had also criticised Hooda's remarks on Friday, saying the wounds of the "horrific and painful" 1984 Sikh massacre remained unhealed even 42 years later.
"At such a sensitive time, describing a key convict in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as a role model was a condemnable attempt to rub salt on the wounds of the victim families and reopen their painful memories," Dhillon said.
Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring sought to distance the state unit from Hooda's remarks, saying they may have reflected his "personal views".
Another Congress leader and former Punjab chief minister, Charanjit Singh Channi, on Saturday described Kumar as a "murderer of Sikhs" and a "traitor".
"He conspired to have Sikhs killed... Far from being a role model, even uttering his name is a sin. If such people become role models, the country will be destroyed," Channi said.