1984-pogrom accused and senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar was seen leading the party’s Bharat Bandh protests over high fuel prices near Pusa Road, Delhi. When Republic TV reporter, Piyush Mishra attempted to confront him, supporters of the party leader could be seen making efforts to intimidate the journalist.
Shocker. 1984 Anti-Sikh riots accused Sajjan Kumar leads #BharatBandh Congress protest in Delhi. When our journalist @Piyush_mi aske if was asked by Congress to protest, he continues to say ‘Sorry, Sorry, Sorry..’ after which he tries to physically intimidate him and run away. pic.twitter.com/sPi7nmUCdz
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 10, 2018
The Congress leader could be heard saying “Sorry” repeatedly, although it is unclear exactly what he was apologizing for. The apology could have been for his alleged role in the anti-Sikh pogrom that he is accused of, or to his party for embroiling it in a controversy by participating in the protest, or to the reporter conveying his reluctance to entertain his questions.
Entire sequence of @Republic TV’s @Piyush_mi confronting 1984 Anti-Sikh riots accused Sajjan Kumar who had the audacity to lead a protest against fuel price hike near Pusa Road. Is Rahul Gandhi now officially backing riots accused Congress politicians? Shameful. Disgusting. pic.twitter.com/YAiFkBC56k
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 10, 2018
Sajjan Kumar’s participating in the protests comes at an interesting moment. Only a few days, Congress party President Rahul Gandhi had denied the involvement of his party in the anti-Sikh pogrom that was initiated by the assassination of the late Indira Gandhi during his foreign tour. Many had interpreted Rajiv Gandhi’s remarks as an approval of the pogrom by the top echelons of the Congress party. It is also pertinent to note that Captain Amarinder Singh had mentioned Sajjan Kumar in the Punjab Assembly as a Congress leader who was involved in the pogrom.
Sajjan Kumar’s participating in the Bandh also not received well on social media.
Can totally imagine this thug leading a murderous mob https://t.co/EcO8n4eLJn
— Divya (@divya_16_) September 10, 2018
Most disgusting Bharat Bandh ever.. for so many reasons.. https://t.co/AU67jF3TZI
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) September 10, 2018
The Congress party and its supporters have a history of heckling and intimidating journalists they perceive to be critical of them. We have reported earlier on how Republic TV journalists have been heckled numerous times on several other occasions. Senior Congress leader, Mani Shankar Aiyer, was also caught on camera yanking off the mike of the hand of a Reoublic TV journalist and abusing him. More shockingly, an India Today journalist was seen shielding Aiyer during his tirade against the journalist. On another occasion, a journalist from a different organization was attacked at the Congress headquarters in Delhi after being labeled as Modi Bhakt. Most recently, as claimed by a female journalist at Republic TV, she was made to sit with her harassers at an NBSA hearing following her harassment by crowd at a Jignesh Mevani rally, an occasion when a women’s dignity was sacrificed at the altar of competitive rivalry.
