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Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda has clarified his remarks on former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, after his comments referring to Kumar as a “role model" drew criticism following his death. He issued an apology, also mentioning that “English words are even being inserted into my statements that I never uttered."

Hooda said that his statement had been “twisted" and that an English word had been inserted into his remarks that he had never used or intended to convey.

“For the past two days, I have been watching my statement being twisted and presented before people. And an English word is also being inserted into my statement, which I never said, nor did I mean anything remotely like that."

Hooda said he never intended to hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community and said he could not even think of hurting the feelings of members of the community.

“I had no intention of hurting any of our brothers. I cannot even think of hurting the Sikh community or our brothers. I never had any such feeling."

He, however, apologised if his remarks had hurt anyone, describing the Sikh community as part of his own family.

“But even then, the Sikh community is our own family. If any brother’s sentiments have been hurt, I am your brother and I express my regret. My intention was never to hurt anyone."

Hooda also highlighted the historical relationship between his family and the Sikh community, saying that Sikhs had made significant sacrifices for the country.

“The Sikh community is a glorious community of our country and I am proud of such a community, which has made sacrifices for all of us that we can never forget. Even today, whether it is protecting the country’s borders or the freedom struggle, the Sikh community has made sacrifices for the country. We are proud of that and have a relationship with the Sikh community like a family. Whenever there has been a need, we have always stood together like younger and elder brothers. That is our relationship."

पिछले दो दिन से मैं देख रहा हूँ कि मेरे बयान को घुमा-फिराकर लोगों के सामने पेश किया जा रहा है। और मेरे बयान में एक ऐसा भी अंग्रेजी का शब्द डाला जा रहा है, जो मैंने बोला ही नहीं, न ही मेरा दूर-दूर तक ऐसा कोई मतलब था।मेरी कोई भी मंशा किसी हमारे भाई को ठेस पहुँचाने की नहीं थी। सिख… pic.twitter.com/W5qFlGUbI2

— Deepender Singh Hooda (@DeependerSHooda) August 23, 2026

Hooda further referred to the 1908 ‘Pagri Sambhal Jatta’ movement, saying his family had been associated with the struggle alongside freedom fighter Bhagat Singh’s uncle Ajit Singh.

“When the ‘Pagri Sambhal Jatta’ movement took place in Punjab in 1908, my own great-grandfather, Chaudhary Maturam Ji, was sentenced to Kala Pani along with Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Ji’s uncle, Sardar Ajit Singh Ji. And ever since then, when the farmers’ movement took place and our farmer brothers came from Punjab, I was among the first to personally go and stand with them. We have always stood together in every struggle."

Referring to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Hooda said he would continue to support the Sikh community’s fight for justice.

“And in what happened in 1984, we are also with them in the Sikh community’s fight for justice. They should get justice; no guilty person should be spared."

Hooda had earlier described Sajjan Kumar’s death as “an irreparable loss" to the country’s political landscape and praised his connect with people and contribution to Delhi’s development. He was also reported to have described Kumar as a “role model" across the country.

Deepender Hooda's original statement reportedly described Sajjan Kumar as a "role model" across the country and an "irreparable loss" to the political landscape, praising his connection with people and contribution to Delhi's development. Hooda has since clarified that his statements were twisted and that he never used the English word "role model".

The 'Pagri Sambhal Jatta' movement, which occurred in 1908, was a struggle that Deepender Hooda's family was associated with, alongside freedom fighter Bhagat Singh's uncle Ajit Singh.