4 days ago
BJP Chief Reprimands Three MPs Over Sajjan Kumar Visit
Three BJP lawmakers visited Sajjan Kumar’s home after he died.
They said goodbye and offered sympathy to his family.
Kumar was a former Congress politician who had been convicted in cases linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
He died on August 20 while serving life sentences.
Many people criticized the lawmakers because Kumar’s convictions involved killings during the riots.
BJP president Nitin Nabin called the three MPs in and said they should not have gone.
Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon also strongly condemned the visit.
Other critics said sympathy should go to the victims and their families.
BJP president Nitin Nabin summoned Delhi MPs Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and Yogender Chandolia over their visit to Sajjan Kumar’s residence.
The MPs had gone to offer condolences after Kumar, a former Congress MP, died on August 20.
Kumar was serving life sentences after convictions linked to killings during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Nabin said the MPs should not have visited and had acted against the BJP’s stated position on seeking justice for riot victims.
Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon condemned the visit, while AAP leaders and BJP leader H.S. Phoolka also criticized the MPs.
- Who
- BJP MPs Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and Yogender Chandolia visited Sajjan Kumar’s residence; BJP president Nitin Nabin summoned them.
- What
- The MPs offered condolences after Kumar’s death and were reprimanded by BJP leadership for the visit.
- Where
- The visit took place at Sajjan Kumar’s residence in Delhi; Kumar died at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi.
- When
- Kumar died on August 20; Nitin Nabin summoned the MPs on Saturday. The reports do not consistently specify the year.
- Why
- The visit drew criticism because Kumar had been convicted in cases connected to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the BJP says it supports justice for the victims.
Critics of the Visit
The MPs’ Condolence Visit and BJP Leadership
Whether condolences were appropriate
Critics of the Visit
AAP leaders, BJP leader H.S. Phoolka and Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon said offering sympathy to Kumar was offensive to victims and their families because of his riot-related convictions.
The MPs’ Condolence Visit and BJP Leadership
The three MPs visited Kumar’s residence to offer condolences after his death. The reports do not provide a public explanation from the MPs for their decision.
Consistency with BJP policy
Critics of the Visit
Critics argued that the visit conflicted with the BJP’s position of seeking justice and punishment for those responsible for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The MPs’ Condolence Visit and BJP Leadership
Nitin Nabin and other BJP leaders also viewed the visit as inconsistent with the party line. The BJP leadership said it supports justice for the riot victims and reprimanded the MPs.
Political impact
Critics of the Visit
Opposition leaders used the visit to accuse the BJP of showing sympathy for a convicted riot figure, particularly as the party prepares to contest Punjab elections independently.
The MPs’ Condolence Visit and BJP Leadership
The BJP sought to distance itself from the visit, with Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon saying the party had nothing to do with it and condemning the MPs’ actions.
Key facts
- Sajjan Kumar
- Former Congress leader and former Lok Sabha MP.
- Age at death
- 80, according to one report.
- Date of death
- August 20.
- MPs involved
- Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and Yogender Chandolia.
- BJP response
- President Nitin Nabin summoned the MPs, expressed displeasure and said they should not have visited.
- Punjab BJP response
- President Kewal Singh Dhillon called the visit extremely painful and unfortunate and said the Punjab unit condemned it.
- Relevant convictions
- Kumar was serving two life sentences in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots; one report also said a Delhi court convicted him in 2025 in a case involving Jaswant Singh and Tarundeep Singh.
Quotes
A senior BJP leader
A senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader familiar with the party’s position
“Now the real face of the BJP has also come to the fore. On the occasion of Sajjan Kumar's final bhog, three BJP Members of Parliament were present. These included West Delhi MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat, South Delhi MP Rambir Singh Bidhuri, and Northwest Delhi MP Yogender Chandolia.”
NDTV
“The transgression by the MPs left the party embarrassed…as it is the BJP which has been pushing for justice and punishment for those responsible.”
wionews.com
Kewal Singh Dhillon
Punjab BJP president who condemned the MPs’ visit
“Expressing any kind of sympathy towards such a person amounts to rubbing salt into the wounds of thousands of victim families who lost their loved ones in the massacre and is an insult to their suffering.”
theprint.in
“Our sympathy and compassion are only for the victims and their families who continue to suffer the trauma of that tragedy even today. Our policy leaves no room for the guilty.”
theprint.in
Sources
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