The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday organised statewide protests across Punjab against remarks allegedly made by Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, with party leaders accusing him of making derogatory statements directed at state minister Harbhajan Singh and disrespecting the Dalit community.
Senior AAP functionaries, including cabinet ministers and MLAs, spearheaded demonstrations outside district Congress committee offices in multiple cities. Protesters staged sit-ins, raised slogans, and in several locations gathered near residences of Congress leaders, demanding that Bajwa issue a public apology for the alleged remarks. Party leaders said the comments were offensive not only to the minister but also to members of the Dalit community, prompting widespread outrage among supporters.
Demonstrations were reported from districts such as Rupnagar, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Moga, Bathinda, Amritsar, and Jalandhar. In Rupnagar, MLA Dr Charanjit Singh led protesters who raised slogans condemning what they described as anti-Dalit rhetoric. At several protest sites, AAP workers used wedding bands as a symbolic form of protest, highlighting what they said was an attempt to insult a profession associated with dignity of labour and cultural celebrations.
Addressing gatherings during the protests, AAP leaders termed the remarks “unacceptable” and “deeply unfortunate,” stating that the party would raise the matter during the upcoming Budget session of the Punjab Assembly. They argued that political criticism should focus on governance and policy rather than personal backgrounds or professions.
The controversy stems from statements attributed to Bajwa in which he criticised minister Harbhajan Singh over alleged corruption and referred to his past as a band performer, reportedly saying that the minister would be “taken to task.” The comments triggered objections from AAP leaders, who said they amounted to disrespect toward individuals from modest social and professional backgrounds.
The Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission, headed by chairman Jasvir Singh Garhi, has taken cognisance of the issue. Appearing before the commission through his counsel Arvind Kumar Sachdeva, Bajwa denied making any objectionable or caste-related remarks against the minister.
In Hoshiarpur, Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Jai Krishan Singh Rouri criticised personal attacks in political discourse, stating that targeting someone’s profession or background was inappropriate in a democratic system. He emphasised that all forms of work deserve respect and noted that band performances are traditionally linked with celebrations and social harmony in Punjab’s culture.
Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO had earlier said the remarks caused him personal distress and hurt sentiments within his family and community. He alleged that some opposition leaders were uncomfortable with his rise from a modest background—his father having worked as a wedding band performer—to a cabinet position. The minister also warned that legal action could follow if an apology was not issued.
The dispute has intensified political tensions between the ruling AAP and the Congress in Punjab, with both sides preparing to take the confrontation into the legislative arena during the forthcoming Assembly session.
