AAP has exposed its anti-Dalit face, says BJP leader

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of displaying an "anti-Dalit" attitude by denying representation to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community in the Rajya Sabha and failing to act against its MLA, Manjinder Singh Lalpura, who has been convicted for using casteist language and harassing a Dalit woman.

In a press statement released here today, BJP national leader Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal said the AAP government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, had "eroded morality" by not taking action against Lalpura despite a court verdict against him. He alleged that this inaction reflected the party's "true working style" and its disregard for justice and social equality.

Grewal said AAP had "exposed its anti-Dalit face" under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and party convener Arvind Kejriwal. He pointed out that the Scheduled Caste community makes up nearly 35 per cent of Punjab's population, yet AAP has failed to nominate a single SC representative to the Rajya Sabha.

Punjab has seven Rajya Sabha seats and a by-election for one seat is scheduled for October 24. "In the past, the Congress and Akali Dal have always ensured due representation for the Dalit community in Parliament. AAP, however, has betrayed them, while its Dalit ministers and MLAs have remained silent on this serious issue," Grewal said.

Expressing concern over what he described as the "increasing marginalisation and disrespect" of the Scheduled Caste community, Grewal said such double standards were "disappointing and condemnable."

Referring to recent incidents involving senior Dalit officials, Grewal condemned the alleged suicide of senior IPS officer and Additional Director General of Police Y Puran Kumar in Haryana and the incident involving Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, stating that both reflected "deep-seated prejudice" against the Scheduled Caste community.

He demanded that the Haryana government immediately dismiss the officials responsible for Kumar's death and take strict action against those found guilty.