BJP fostering caste bias in states governed by it, alleges Cheema

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday accused the BJP of fostering conditions suitable for “caste-based discrimination” in states ruled by it, saying even those on higher posts were not being spared.

The allegation came three days after a Haryana-cadre IPS officer Y Puran Kumar died by suicide using his service revolver at his Sector 11 residence in Chandigarh.

The officer, in his note left behind, had alleged caste-based discrimination.

Attacking the BJP, Punjab Finance Minister and AAP leader Harpal Cheema said the party “fostered an atmosphere of blatant caste-based discrimination and atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) across the states it governs”.

Cheema said the note left behind by the officer pointed to “horrifying revelations”, giving details of years of “continued blatant Caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation and atrocities” by senior officers of Haryana. In a press communique here, Cheema said the officer’s note named multiple senior IPS and IAS officers for “concerted conspiracy to continue with caste-based discrimination, public humiliation, targeted mental harassment and atrocities”.

“The gravity of the situation under the BJP rule is beyond appalling. We have seen repeated instances of rising crimes against SCs and STs in BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, as documented in national crime records,” said Cheema.

“But what is truly shocking is that the BJP’s anti-Dalit sentiment does not spare even the highest echelons of public service,” he said.