Chandigarh: The Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission has summoned Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa in connection with his alleged “band baja” remark. The commission issued a notice on Monday asking Bajwa to appear before it on February 11 at 3 pm.
The commission has also sought a legal report on the matter from the Amritsar SSP.
The controversy arose after Bajwa, during a political rally, made a remark while referring to cabinet minister Harbhajan Singh ETO. The Aam Aadmi Party alleged that the statement amounted to an attack on the Dalit community. AAP leaders claimed that Bajwa used derogatory language while referring to the family occupation of the cabinet minister.
AAP workers also held a protest outside Bajwa’s residence in Chandigarh on Monday.
Earlier, chief minister Bhagwant Mann, while speaking about MLAs and ministers, had described Harbhajan Singh as a person from an ordinary background and had referred to his family history. Bajwa later mentioned the minister’s family background during a political rally and said, “We will play the minister’s band,” which triggered the controversy.
Commission chairman Jasvir Singh said that any insult to the Scheduled Castes would not be tolerated.
Former Congress MLA Kuldeep Singh Vaid has maintained that there was no remark in Bajwa’s speech that insulted the Dalit community.
It may be recalled that earlier the commission had also summoned Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring over a remark related to former Union home minister late Buta Singh.
