AAP Government Anti-Dalit, Shields Perpetrators of Atrocities: Sampla
Chandigarh (The Uttam Hindu): Former Union Minister, ex-Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and former Punjab BJP President Vijay Sampla said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab plays politics in the name of Dalits but, in reality, protects those who commit atrocities against them and attacks their rights.
*AAP shelters those accused of atrocities against Dalits*
Sampla said that AAP MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura, convicted and sentenced to four years in a case of assaulting a Dalit woman, has neither been expelled from the party nor disqualified from the Assembly. Instead, he continues to receive special privileges in jail.
*Mann insulted Dalit community*
During the Punjab Assembly session in March 2024, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann allegedly used casteist language against a Dalit MLA Sukhwinder Singh Kotli, insulting the entire community.
*Ministers making caste-based remarks*
In April 2024, Punjab Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar made casteist remarks against communities during a rally in Patti. Later, both Bhullar and the Chief Minister had to publicly apologize.
*AAP forgot its Dalit Deputy CM promise*
Before the elections, Arvind Kejriwal had promised to appoint a Dalit as Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, but the promise was forgotten after coming to power.
*No Dalit representation in Rajya Sabha*
Among AAP’s 13 Rajya Sabha MPs, not a single one is Dalit. Even from Punjab—home to India’s largest Dalit population—none of the seven Rajya Sabha members belong to the Dalit community.
*Post-matric scholarship funds withheld*
The Punjab and Haryana High Court reprimanded the state government for withholding its share of post-matric scholarship funds, which disrupted the education of Dalit students.
*Justice denied to victims of spurious liquor tragedy*
In the Majitha spurious liquor tragedy of May 2025, 16 of the 30 victims were Mazhabi Sikhs. Their families have received neither compensation nor jobs. In another Ludhiana case, the SC/ST Act was not invoked despite Dalit victims.
*Insults to Ambedkar and Guru Ravidas Ji*
Since AAP came to power, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s statues have been vandalized multiple times in Amritsar and Phillaur. The government also stopped ₹25 crore sanctioned for the Guru Ravidas Bani Study Centre, hurting the sentiments of the Ravidassia community.
*Silence on atrocities by AAP leaders*
In September 2023, the son of AAP leader Dinesh Dhal allegedly abducted and brutally thrashed a Dalit youth, yet the police did not register a case and pressured the victim to compromise.
*Sampla said, “This government not only harbors an anti-Dalit mindset but is also actively trying to silence their voice.”*