HARPAL SINGH CHEEMA DECLARES INCIDENT AN ASSAULT ON SUPREME COURT, CONSTITUTION AND MILLIONS OF DALITS NATIONWIDE
Punjab E News: Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, Finance Minister of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, on Wednesday issued a strong condemnation of the attack on Hon’ble Chief Justice of India Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai. He squarely blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for fostering a dangerous anti-Dalit atmosphere in the country, declaring the incident an assault on the Supreme Court, the Constitution drafted by Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar, and the millions of Dalits nationwide.
Addressing a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema expressed deep disappointment over the silence surrounding the incident. He noted that not only has Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to speak out, but senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, has also maintained silence, which he interpreted as lending support to the BJP. The Finance Minister asserted that this deplorable situation, where the highest judicial authority has become a target, is a direct consequence of the continuous flow of anti-Dalit hatred being spread by the BJP through its unauthorised social media handles.
The Finance Minister also cited the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, “Crime in India 2023,” to illustrate the frightening increase in crimes against Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC) across the nation under the current political climate. He noted a shocking 28.8% increase in crimes against Scheduled Tribes nationwide. He pointed out that BJP-ruled Manipur recorded the highest number of 3,399 cases of crimes against STs, and BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh leads the country with 15,130 cases against SCs, followed by Rajasthan with 8,449 cases and Madhya Pradesh with 8,232 cases. Minister Cheema concluded that these statistics clearly demonstrate the appalling nature of the BJP’s priorities.
Issuing a stern warning to the BJP, Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema affirmed that the Aam Aadmi Party will never allow the BJP’s anti-Dalit policies and stratagems to succeed. He announced that the AAP is actively formulating a comprehensive legal and social strategy in response to the attack on the Chief Justice. “The party plans to launch a widespread campaign about the issue and ensure that rigorous legal action is taken against all the guilty parties”, he added.
Demanding stringent action, Punjab Cabinet Minister Cheema insisted that not only the immediate perpetrator but also all individuals identified as spreading venom against the Dalit community on social media must be identified and prosecuted. Furthermore, in response to a media query citing an incident in the Punjab and Haryana High Court where the Bar Council had taken strict action against a lawyer, the Finance Minister stated that it was extremely regrettable that the Bar Council did not register a case and cancel the concerned advocate’s license. He unequivocally stressed that the Bar Council should have taken immediate legal action.
Later, in a press communiqué, Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema highlighted the need to crack down hard on unlawful and objectionable social media content targeting the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India. He stated that the Punjab Police registered several FIRs today after receiving numerous complaints in various districts of the state, across over a hundred social media handles. He said that social media content relating to attacks on a High Constitutional Authority, Caste-based Vilification and Incitement, and Public Mischief with a direct attempt to disturb peace and public order by unjustly exploiting caste and communal sentiments has been flagged, and FIRs have been registered in accordance with the law. “The posts and videos in question contain casteist and hate-filled expressions intended to promote communal disharmony, disturb public order, and erode respect for judicial institutions.
