AAP protests outside Congress Bhawan in Chandigarh over alleged insult to Dalit leader

Aam Aadmi Party staged a strong protest on Wednesday by gheraoing the Congress Bhawan in Chandigarh. This protest was organized by AAP over allegations of assault and casteist mistreatment against senior Congress Dalit leader Ranjit Singh Tarkhan Majra by Congress leader Barinder Singh Dhillon.

To stop the protesters marching towards the Congress office, Chandigarh police used water cannons and force. During this, the police detained several AAP leaders and workers and took them to the Sector 17 police station.

Addressing the gathering, Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO alleged that a senior Dalit leader who served Congress for four decades was beaten and humiliated in front of his son. He demanded that Congress expel Barinder Singh Dhillon from the party and register a case against him under the SC/ST Act.

Chamkor Sahib constituency MLA Jasvir Singh Garhi said that the police action against protesters is an injury to the entire Dalit community. He questioned why Rahul Gandhi, who is holding an 'Insaaf Rally' in Punjab, has failed to secure justice for a leader of his own party.

MLAs Ishank Chabbewal and Rajnish Dahiya also objected to the silence of the Congress high command. They said a faction unable to deliver justice inside its own party office cannot make claims of providing justice to the people of the state.

AAP state president Aman Arora questioned Rahul Gandhi's rally in Sangrur, stating that the Congress leader criticized the government but did not utter a single word about the mistreatment of his party's senior Dalit leader. AAP leaders stated that the struggle will continue until Tarkhan Majra gets justice.

Key developments

• AAP gheraoed Chandigarh Congress Bhawan against alleged assault on Ranjit Singh Tarkhan Majra
• Chandigarh police used water cannons and detained several AAP leaders and workers
• Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO demanded action against Barinder Singh Dhillon under SC/ST Act
• AAP president Aman Arora questioned Rahul Gandhi's silence on the incident