Chandigarh, February 8
The Punjab Congress today launched a strong counter-attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for attempting to twist facts and misuse the sensitive issue of Dalits for political mileage by levelling false allegations against Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa.
Deputy CLP leader Aruna Chaudhry also condemned AAP’s attempts to create controversy out of a non-issue. She said that the people of Punjab, including the Dalit community, are politically aware and capable of recognising genuine casteist remarks without needing AAP to act as self-appointed defenders. “AAP is rattled because Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa is exposing their failures and corruption both inside the Assembly and among the public. To divert attention, they are resorting to false narratives and baseless allegations,” she added
Chairman of the Punjab Congress SC Cell, Ex MLA Kuldeep Vaid, said that AAP has crossed all limits of political decency by falsely accusing Bajwa of making a casteist slur against a cabinet minister. He asserted that there was no mention of any individual’s caste in Bajwa’s remarks and that AAP was deliberately misleading the public. “AAP leaders seem incapable of understanding the difference between a political pun and a casteist slur. Their attempt to provoke sentiments and exploit the Dalit community for political gain is highly condemnable,” Vaid said.
Former MLA Sukhwinder Singh Danny Bandala, AICC Secretary, stated that AAP has “lost its mind” by indulging in such desperate tactics. He reiterated that Bajwa has clearly warned that those responsible for destroying Punjab’s finances and indulging in corruption, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and others, will be held accountable for the acts of omission and commission.
Several senior Congress leaders, including MLA Vikram Chaudhry, MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, Ex MLA Pawan Kumar Adia, Ex MLA Santokh Singh Bhalaipur and Ex MLA Joginder Pal Bhoa also came out in strong support of Bajwa. They collectively condemned AAP’s attempt to malign his image and mislead the public.
Punjab Congress leaders asserted that such diversionary tactics by AAP will not succeed and that the party will continue to expose the government’s failures, corruption, and anti-people policies in the interest of Punjab and its people.
