'Will never support anything anti-India': Harbhajan after criticism on Instagram post
Jun 07, 2021
New Delhi [India], June 7 : Veteran cricketer Harbhajan Singh on Monday issued an apology after being trolled on social media over his "tribute" to Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
The off-spinner had on June 6 on his Instagram story shared a poster featuring Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and called him a "martyr".
Very soon, the cricketer started getting called out on social media and started trending for his post glorifying Bhindranwale.
Today, Harbhajan took to Twitter to apologise and said he had made a mistake by posting in haste a Whatsapp forward he recieved and that he does not support anything which is anti-India.
"I just wish to clarify and apologise for an Instagram post yesterday. It was a WhatsApp forward that I posted in haste without even realising the content used and what it signified or stood for. That was my mistake I accept and at no stage, do I subscribe to the views on that post or support the people whose pictures were carried."
"I am a Sikh who will fight for India and not against India. This is my unconditional apology for hurting the sentiments of my nation. In fact any anti-national group against my people, I do not support and never will. I have given my blood and sweat for this country for 20 years and will never ever support anything that is Anti India," he added.
June 6 marked the 37th anniversary of Operation Bluestar in which Bhindranwale was killed inside the Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple.
The mission of Operation Blue Star, carried out between June 1-10, 1984, was to capture Bhindranwale and his followers from the buildings of the Golden Temple.
Harbhajan was last seen in action for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the suspended IPL 2021 edition. He represented the franchise in three matches before the tournament was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
