Harbhajan apologises for his post on Bhindranwale: Know what the controversy is about

Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh on Monday received flak on the internet over his post about Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, former leader of Sikh institution Damdami Taksal and radical separatist. He later apologised for the post saying that he had posted it in haste “without realising the content”. Bhindranwale was killed in the Golden Temple during Operation Blue Star in 1984, and Harbhajan was criticised for paying tribute to the former Damdami Taksal leader.

Sunday marked the 37th anniversary of Operation Blue Star. The former cricketer on Instagram posted a story showing Bhindranwale, calling him a martyr. The post was written in Punjabi, and it read, “Heartfelt tribute to those martyred in Operation inside Shri Harmandir Sahib on June 1- June 6, 1984″, reported Times Now.

The former India cricketer on Monday issued a clarification on Twitter, saying that it was a Whatsapp message that he had posted in haste. The captions read “My heartfelt apology to my people”. He began saying, “I just wish to clarify and apologise for an Instagram post yesterday. It was a Whatsapp forward that I posted in a haste without even realising the content used and what it signified or stood for”. 

Harbhajan concluded by saying, “I have given my blood and sweat for this country for 20 years and will never support anything that is anti India. Jai Hind”

The veteran bowler was last seen in action in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as he was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders team after he was bought by the franchise for Rs 2 crore.