3 days ago
Sajjan Kumar Condolence Meet Draws Crowds, Political Controversy
Sajjan Kumar was a former Congress politician who died at age 80.
His family held a prayer meeting for him at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi.
Hundreds of people, including political, social and religious representatives, attended.
His son Jag Pravesh asked the crowd to support him and promised to help people and raise public issues.
A traditional pagdi ceremony followed his speech, declaring him the head of the family.
Kumar had been convicted in cases connected to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
He was serving life sentences for separate cases involving the deaths of five Sikhs and two Sikh men.
The BJP criticized three of its Delhi MPs for visiting Kumar’s home to offer condolences.
The gathering therefore became politically sensitive because of Kumar’s convictions and the continuing disagreement over the riots.
Hundreds attended a family-organized condolence meeting for former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi.
Kumar’s son Jag Pravesh Kumar pledged to serve attendees, raise public issues and seek support from his father’s supporters.
Kumar died at Safdarjung Hospital on August 20, aged 80, and was cremated at Nigambodh Ghat the following day.
He was serving life sentences for convictions in cases linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, including killings of five Sikhs and two Sikh men.
BJP president Nitin Nabin summoned three Delhi MPs after they visited Kumar’s residence, while party leader H.S. Phoolka praised the action.
- Who
- Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, his son Jag Pravesh Kumar, attending political and community representatives, and three Delhi BJP MPs were central to the reports.
- What
- Kumar’s family organized a condolence and prayer meeting, while the BJP reprimanded three MPs for visiting his residence after his death.
- Where
- The meeting took place at the Talkatora Stadium auditorium in Delhi. Kumar died at Safdarjung Hospital after being brought from Tihar jail.
- When
- The meeting was held on Saturday, reported as August 29; Kumar died on August 20 and was cremated the following day.
- Why
- The family organized the event to pay tribute to Kumar. The political controversy arose because he had been convicted in cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Family and Supporters
BJP Critics
Condolence gathering
Family and Supporters
Kumar’s family and supporters presented the meeting as a tribute, with hundreds attending and Jag Pravesh asking the gathering to support him as part of his father’s wider family.
BJP Critics
BJP leaders and H.S. Phoolka argued that offering condolences at Kumar’s residence was inappropriate because of his convictions linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Kumar’s public legacy
Family and Supporters
Jag Pravesh said he would follow his father’s example by serving people and raising public issues.
BJP Critics
The BJP emphasized its long-running criticism of Congress leaders’ alleged role in the 1984 riots and praised disciplinary action over the condolence visit.
Congress response
Family and Supporters
Delhi Congress leaders, including Devender Yadav, attended the family-organized meeting.
BJP Critics
The Congress high command maintained caution and silence, while MP Deepender Hooda previously clarified that he had not intended to describe Kumar as a role model.
Key facts
- Age at death
- 80
- Death
- August 20 at Safdarjung Hospital; the hospital said he died at 12:30 p.m. despite resuscitation and life-support measures.
- Condolence meeting
- Talkatora Stadium auditorium, Delhi; organized by Kumar’s family and attended by hundreds.
- 2018 conviction
- The Delhi High Court sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for the killing of five Sikhs and the burning of a gurdwara during the 1984 riots.
- 2025 conviction
- A Delhi court sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment in February 2025 in a case concerning the killing of two Sikh men.
- BJP action
- Nitin Nabin summoned Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and Yogender Chandolia over their condolence visit to Kumar’s residence.
- Political career
- Kumar was a municipal councillor, later general secretary of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, and a Lok Sabha member elected in 1980, 1991 and 2004.
Quotes
Jag Pravesh Kumar
Son of Sajjan Kumar who spoke at the prayer meeting
“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”
indianexpress.com
“The heritage handed over by my father is not in terms of money or materialistic things. It is in the form of you…”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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