Reacting sharply on the alleged outburst of a senior Akali leader and Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Virsa Singh Valtoha against Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar “for spreading castiesm”, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday said that Valtoha should immediately tender an apology for undermining the father of the Indian Constitution.
Terming Valtoha’s ‘outburst’ against Dr Ambedkar as “highly condemnable and deplorable”, party’s SC/ST wing head Dev Mann said that the Akali leader owe an apology from the entire Dalit samaj, as he not only tried to undermine Dr Ambedkar, but the entire community.
“Valtoha has hurt the sentiments of entire Dalit community and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal should explain whether he supports Valtoha’s views or he would immediately sack Valtoha for such a shameful act,” said Mann.
The party, considering the “gross humiliation” meted out to a national icon like Dr Ambedkar who represents the ‘Dalit’ face of India, AAP list out three demands, including registration of a criminal case against Valtoha.
The party demanded that Valtoha should be booked under Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for grievously injuring and hurting the sentiments of the ‘Dalits’ nationwide.
Secondly, it demanded that the Badal duo (both Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his Deputy son Sukhbir Badal) should tender an unconditional apology to the dalits as well as the people of India “for the atrociously disgraceful statement made by their lieutenant and very close confidant CPS Valtoha”.
The party also urged the Chief Minister Badal to “immediately drop such an arrogant, foolish and irresponsible leader” from the army of his Chief Parliamentary Secretaries.
“If Valtoha will not submit his apology, AAP is ready to launch an extensive agitation in entire State,” Mann announced.
He said that Valtoha must know that Dr Ambedkar’s work for the upliftment of the dalits was commendable and he was the person who kept ample provisions in the Indian Constitution for the concerns and causes of Dalits.
The alleged “malicious” statement was made by Valtoha during a TV debate at Amritsar a day before in the presence of a large gathering as audience.
Valtoha, when confronted by a member from the audience that Akalis are not living up to the slogan of Guru's “manas ki jaat sabhi ek hi pehchanbo” or equality of human beings, squarely held Dr Ambedkar responsible for fanning
castiesm in India through reservation for different categories of scheduled castes.
The audience reacted very sharply to his defamatory remarks and pandemonium prevailed, due to which the TV anchor had to halt the proceedings of the debate. Congress MlA Raj Kumar Verka, AAP leader Major Singh and a BSP leader were also participating in the said debate, and present at the time of incident.Badal Government has hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikhs by making political use of the religious film ‘Char Sahibzade’.