Harbhajan apologises for Insta post on Bhindranwale: 'am a Sikh who'll fight for India'

Veteran Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh Monday tendered an unconditional apology for sharing a social media post with picture of Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale to pay homage to those who died in 'Operation Bluestar' of 1984.

However, another cricketer, Harpreet Singh Brar, who plays for Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, and had shared a quote by Bhindranwale on his Twitter handle, didn't take it down despite facing heat.

Harbhajan Singh

Earlier, facing backlash from all quarters, Harbhajan said he posted a WhatsApp forward on the 37th anniversary of the operation without realising that the man in the picture was Bhindranwale.

"I just wish to clarify and apologise for an instagram post yesterday. It was a WhatsApp forward that I posted in a haste and without even realising the content used and what it signified and stood for," he said in an apology note posted on Twitter.

"That was my mistake I accept, and at no stage do I subscribe to the views in that post or support the people whose picture 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," he added.

Operation Bluestar was an Army operation which was carried out in 1984 to flush out militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Bhindranwale was the leader of that insurgent movement and was killed along with and several other people during the operation.

"I have given my blood and sweat for this country for 20 years and will never ever support anything that is anti-India," said the 40-year-old, who has played 103 Tests for India, claiming 417 wickets in them.

Meanwhile, Brar, who has often courted controversy with his social media posts, didn't take down the the one he shared quoting Bhindranwale.

Brar was earlier trolled for his tweets on farmers' agitation. He had also taken a dig at actor Akshay Kumar in one of his tweets accusing him of playing Sikh characters in films for money. Brar plays for Punjab in domestic leagues.

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