BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri sought forgiveness at the Akal Takht for attending Sajjan Kumar’s condolence gathering.
Bidhuri said he had opposed Kumar over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and admitted attending the gathering was a mistake.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj urged other political leaders who visited Kumar’s residence to also seek forgiveness.
BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri on Saturday appeared before the Akal Takht in Amritsar and sought forgiveness for attending the condolence gathering of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who was convicted in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.
Bidhuri, the BJP's South Delhi MP, had earlier submitted a written apology to the Akal Takht secretariat on September 5. On Saturday, he personally appeared at the shrine, paid obeisance and met Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, submitting his apology and explaining his position. Gargajj said it was good that Bidhuri had realised his mistake and apologised.
The Condolence Visit That Sparked A Row
Bidhuri had visited Sajjan Kumar's residence after his death to offer condolences. In his apology, the BJP MP said he had consistently spoken against Kumar because of his involvement in the anti-Sikh riots. He acknowledged that attending the condolence gathering of someone who had participated in the violence was a mistake.
The episode had drawn scrutiny because Sajjan Kumar remained a deeply contentious figure in the history of the 1984 violence. He was convicted in cases related to the riots, and his death brought renewed attention to the political associations surrounding his legacy.
The Akal Takht's intervention has now added a religious and institutional dimension to the controversy. Gargajj said several other political leaders, particularly those associated with the Congress, had also visited Kumar's residence. He urged them to take guidance from Bidhuri's apology and seek forgiveness from the Sikh community.
A Gesture With A Larger Political Memory
Bidhuri's apology comes against the enduring political and emotional legacy of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The episode has repeatedly resurfaced in Indian politics, with questions of accountability, justice and political responsibility continuing to shape public debate decades later.
The controversy surrounding Kumar's condolence gathering has also crossed party lines. Earlier, BJP leaders had criticised the decision by some politicians to visit Kumar's residence, while the party's Delhi MPs who attended the gathering came under scrutiny. BJP president Nitin Nabin had summoned the three MPs following the controversy, according to NDTV.
At the Akal Takht, however, the immediate focus was less on party politics than on an apology. Bidhuri's visit turned a political misjudgement into a public act of seeking forgiveness, while the Jathedar used the moment to remind other leaders of the sensitivity surrounding Kumar's legacy.
