Chandigarh, Feb 9: Chandigarh witnessed a high-voltage protest on Sunday as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and workers gathered outside the residence of Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa. The protest was organized to condemn allegedly derogatory comments directed at Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO and the Dalit community.
The situation turned tense as protesters attempted to bypass security barricades, leading to a clash with the police. Water cannons were used to stop the crowd, resulting in injuries to several party workers. The AAP leadership noted that the demonstration was a response to the mocking of honest livelihoods and a “feudal mindset” within the Congress party.
“This insult is not just mine, but of every poor family that educates its children through honest earnings,” Harbhajan Singh ETO mentioned.
He said that his father, a band master, worked hard to ensure his children received an education, which eventually led him to his current position.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema also addressed the gathering, stating that traditional political families are struggling to accept the rise of ordinary citizens in the legislative assembly. He noted that the inclusion of six Dalit ministers in the Punjab Cabinet is a historic shift for the state.
“Congress cannot digest the rise of children from ordinary homes in politics,” Cheema directly said. He added that the party would continue to fight for the dignity of the working class.
