Facing backlash for his comments expressing condolences on the death of 1984 anti-Sikh riots convict Sajjan Kumar, Rohtak Congress MP Deepender Hooda Sunday expressed regret to the Sikh community for his remarks.He also denied referring to Sajjan Kumar as a ‘role model’ and said his words have been twisted by the BJP’s IT cell to discredit him.“For the past two days, I have been observing that my statement is being twisted and presented to people. An English word is also being inserted into my statement – one that I never uttered, nor did I mean anything remotely like that,” said Hooda in a statement put out on X.He further said, “I had no intention whatsoever of hurting any of our brothers. I cannot even think of hurting our brothers from the Sikh community. Nor did I ever have any such feeling. Even so, the Sikh community is our own family. If any brother’s feelings have been hurt, then I am your brother, and I express my regret. My intention and purpose were never to hurt anyone’s heart.”He further said the Sikh community is a glorious community and he takes pride in such a community that has made sacrifices that can never be forgotten. “Whether it is the defence of the country’s borders today or the struggle for the country’s independence, the sacrifices the Sikh community has made for the nation fill us with pride. We share a family-like relationship with the Sikh community. Whenever the need arose, we always stood together like younger and elder brothers – that is the nature of our bond.”The Rohtak MP added that in 1908, during the ‘Pagri Sambhal Jatta’ movement in Punjab, his own great-grandfather Chaudhary Maturam was sentenced to Kala Pani along with Shahid-e-Azam Bhagat Singh’s uncle Sardar Ajit Singh.“From then onwards, right up to the farmers’ movement, when our farmer brothers from Punjab came, I myself was among the first to stand with them. We have always been together in every struggle. And regarding what happened in 1984, we stand with the Sikh community in their fight for justice as well. They must get justice; no guilty person should be spared,” he said.Story continues below this adHooda’s remarks on Thursday while expressing condolences on 1984 anti-Sikh riot convict Sajjan Kumar’s death had kicked up a storm in Punjab. While Hooda was one of many Haryana Congress leaders who expressed condolences, former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi referred to certain remarks ascribed to Deepinder Hooda and said Sajjan Kumar could never be considered a role model.