Amend sacrilege bill to respect Dalit sentiments, says Sampla

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, minister and state president Aman Arora, in fact, the entire Punjab Cabinet, all its MLAs, MPs and leaders are anti-Dalit, said former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Sampla.

“By not including provisions for punishment against disrespect towards the idols and holy scriptures of Guru Ravidass (Amritbani), Bhagwan Valmiki, Sant Kabir and Sant Nabhadas in the ‘Punjab Prevention of Crimes Against Sacred Religious Scriptures Act, 2025’ presented in the Assembly, the government has revealed its discriminatory mindset towards the Dalit community,” Sampla said.

“The AAP’s anti-Dalit mentality was exposed way back in March 2022. To secure votes from Punjab’s nearly 31 per cent Dalit population, Arvind Kejriwal had promised before the elections that if AAP formed the government, the Deputy Chief Minister would be from the Dalit community. However, even after three and a half years in power, no Dalit Deputy CM has been appointed,” the senior BJP leader said.

Kejriwal had also promised that upon forming the government, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) would be set up to probe atrocities and false cases against Dalits over the past five years and recommend strict action. Nearly four years have passed and no SIT has been formed yet. “As per election promises, the backlog of job vacancies for Dalits has still not been cleared,” he said.

The BJP leader, who has also remained chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, said, “The aforesaid instances make it clear that Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann and their entire cabinet have anti-Dalit mentality. That is why, while approving the bill in the Cabinet and later presenting it in the Assembly, they excluded provisions for punishment against disrespect towards the deities and saints of the Ravidassia, Valmiki, Kabir Panth and Mahasha communities in the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill, 2025.”

Sampla expressed regret that MLAs and ministers belonging to the Valmiki, Ravidassia, Kabir Panth and Mahasha communities in government have also remained silent on the issue. Sampla warned of taking to the streets if the AAP government in Punjab does not amend the bill to respect Dalit sentiments.