Amritsar: Ramgarhia outfit calls for boycott of AAP candidates

Amritsar, May 14

Though Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Cabinet Minister Laljit Bhullar, who is also the AAP candidate from Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, have apologised for the derogatory remarks allegedly made by the latter about Ramgarhia and Suniyar communities, a leading organisation of the Ramgarhia community has written to the Election Commission to cancel the candidature of Laljit Bhullar and remove him from state cabinet.

In a meeting chaired by Inderjeet Singh Babbu, chairman, All Vishwakarma Ramgarhia Foundation decided to oppose AAP candidates in all 13 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state. Babbu said that apology was not enough for casteist remarks made by Bhullar. “We need action from the government as one with a casteist mind-set should not be a part of the state ministerial cabinet. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should remove him from the cabinet. We have also written to the Election Commission to cancel the candidature of Bhullar. However, no action has been taken against him till now. So, we have decided to oppose the Aam Aadmi Party candidates in all the constituencies. We urge our community members to cast their vote against AAP. The public should oppose such leaders. The voters in Khadoor Sahib constituency should teach a lesson to the AAP minister.”

It may be mentioned that on April 13, state Transport Minister Laljit Bhullar, in his speech during an election campaign at Patti, allegedly ridiculed members of the Ramgarhia and Suniyar communities. Following this, complaints were sent to the ECI against the minister by Shiromani Akali Dal and other representatives of the communities. As the issue escalated, Bhullar had released a video message, apologising to members of the communities for hurting their sentiments. During his visit here, CM Mann had also apologised.