Harpal Cheema Targets BJP Over Alleged Discrimination Against SC Leaders at Punjab Event

Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Punjab Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) “anti-Dalit mindset” was exposed during the recent Punjab visit of BJP national president Nitin Nabin.

Addressing a press conference alongside AAP Punjab SC Wing Chairman Gurpreet Singh GP, Cheema claimed that senior Scheduled Caste (SC) leaders, including former Union Ministers Vijay Sampla and Som Parkash, were allegedly made to stand among the audience during a recent BJP event in Punjab while other leaders were seated on the stage.

Calling the incident a clear example of discrimination, Cheema said the BJP only respects a select affluent class while systematically sidelining and humiliating Dalits, labourers, and economically weaker sections. He added that Punjab’s Scheduled Caste community, which constitutes nearly 34 percent of the state’s population, has closely observed the party’s approach toward marginalized groups.

Citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2024, Cheema alleged that around 65 percent of crimes against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes were reported from four BJP-ruled states—Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan. He claimed this reflected the BJP government's failure to ensure the safety of Dalits and highlighted what he described as the party’s deep-rooted bias against backward communities.

The Punjab minister further stated that the treatment of senior Dalit leaders at the BJP event had revealed the party’s “true face” before the people of Punjab. He argued that leaders who had served the party for decades and represented the Scheduled Caste community deserved basic respect and recognition.

Cheema also accused the BJP of being anti-Punjab, anti-farmer, and anti-Dalit, alleging that its politics were based on division and discrimination. He asserted that the people of Punjab would strongly reject such politics and stand with communities that have contributed significantly to the country’s development.