‘Unsavoury remarks’ may land AAP Khadoor Sahib candidate Laljit Singh Bhullar in trouble

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, April 25

Transport Minister and Aam Aadmi Party’s Khadoor Sahib candidate Laljit Singh Bhullar has been found to be complicit in making casteist slurs and personal attacks on the sexual inclination of one of his political opponents.

A report on Bhullar has been sent by the Election Officer of Tarn Taran, which has been forwarded by the office of Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, to the Election Commission of India. The report, it is learnt, also carries video recordings of the speech, wherein these remarks were made. The ECI had earlier sought a report from the CEO, Punjab, after two complaints of the violation of code of conduct were made against Bhullar.

Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Sibin C, told The Tribune that the report had been sent to the ECI after he received it from the Deputy Commissioner. Declining to reveal the findings of the report, the CEO said further action would be decided by the ECI.

On April 13, the minister, in his speech during his election campaign at Patti, allegedly ridiculed members of the Ramgarhia and Suniyar communities, calling them “Ghuli gharh”. Following this, complaints were sent to the ECI, against the minister by both Shiromani Akali Dal and Ramgarhia Singh Sabha, Tarn Taran.

The minister had also made unsavoury comments against one of his political opponents, hinting at the person’s relations with a member of the Scheduled Caste community, while the opponent was lodged in a jail in Rajasthan.

Later, as the issue escalated in Khadoor Sahib, Bhullar, had also released a video message, apologising to members of the community for hurting their religious sentiments. This video, too, has been sent to the ECI.