Women commission issues notice to former Punjab CM Channi over derogatory statement

The Punjab State Women Commission on Monday issued a show-cause notice to former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, asking him to give a reply within 24 hours for his alleged derogatory statement against women, and Jat Sikh and Hindu communities while campaigning in favour of Congress candidate Amrita Warring in Gidderbaha on Sunday.

As per the notice, criminal proceedings will be initiated against Channi if he fails to give a satisfactory reply by appearing before the commission headquarters in SAS Nagar by 11 am on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the AAP, BJP and SAD have condemned Channi for his statement. AAP candidate Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon said, “Channi used offensive and derogatory language against Jat Sikhs and Hindus, especially women. I am surprised that he was not stopped by Amrita Warring, who was standing right beside him.”

Meanwhile, the BJP leadership claimed that Channi should apologise and a stern action should be taken against him. “Channi compared both Jat Sikhs and Hindus to dogs... Such language is completely inappropriate and we strongly condemn it in the harshest terms. What’s worse is that when he was speaking on the stage, there were women in the audience who felt ashamed, but Amrita Warring did not have the courage to stop him from spreading this nonsense,” claimed a BJP spokesperson.

Similarly, senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia said Channi should apologise for his statement.

Channi, in his speech, was trying to corner both AAP and BJP leaders by saying they had no say in the state or Delhi, narrating a story about the dogs of a Jat and a Brahmin, comparing their lifestyle.