Bajwa’s remark is an insult to Dalit community: Punjab minister Cheema

Chandigarh: Senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Forest minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, and AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu, have jointly, in strong words, condemned the unfortunate and objectionable remark made by Leader of the Opposition and Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa about Punjab Cabinet minister Harbhajan Singh ETO.

The three leaders termed the Congress party as having an anti-Dalit mindset and issued a stern warning to Bajwa and the Congress party to apologise within 24 hours, failing which strict legal and political action would be taken.

Punjab Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema, calling Bajwa’s remark a “highly unfortunate statement,” said that Cabinet minister Harbhajan Singh ETO is a personality who rose out of poverty, cleared the civil services examination through hard work, became an ETO in the Punjab Allied Services, and, with a spirit of social service, resigned from his job to join the Aam Aadmi Party.

The AAP gave him respect and made him a minister. But today, Pratap Singh Bajwa has used extremely derogatory words against him, which is an insult to the entire Dalit community.

Cheema said that the Congress party is an anti-Dalit party. All Dalit ministers are on the Congress party’s target. Sometimes under some pretext, sometimes by taking names, sometimes calling them “material,” and now calling them “band players.” Using such language against Dalits is extremely unfortunate.

Finance minister Cheema said in a stern tone that either Pratap Singh Bajwa and the entire Congress party must apologise to the Dalit community within 24 hours, or be prepared for strict action.

He said this is a very big insult to the Dalit community of Punjab. It is a matter that discourages children who move ahead through hard work in Punjab.

Cheema further said that many Congress leaders are repeatedly targeting Dalits and Scheduled Caste–Scheduled Tribe people of Punjab and insulting them in public rallies. The Aam Aadmi Party is the first party that neither looked at poverty nor wealth, but brought forward the people who wanted to serve.