By excluding the Ravidassia, Valmiki, and Kabir Panthi communities from the Anti-Sacrilege Bill, the AAP government has shown its anti-Dalit mindset": Sampla

 By excluding the Ravidassia, Valmiki, and Kabir Panthi communities from the Anti-Sacrilege Bill, the AAP government has shown its anti-Dalit mindset": Sampla

Jalandhar/July 16/Daljeet Ajnoha 

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Minister and State President Aman Arora, the entire Punjab Cabinet, and all its MLAs, MPs, and leaders are anti-Dalit; rather, they hate Dalits, said Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Sampla.

By not including provisions for punishment against disrespect towards the idols and holy scriptures of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji (Amritbani), Bhagwan Valmiki Ji, Sant Kabir Ji, and Sant Nabhadas Ji in the "Punjab Prevention of Crimes Against Sacred Religious Scriptures Act, 2025" presented in the Assembly, the government has revealed its discriminatory and hateful mindset towards the Dalit community.

AAP's anti-Dalit mentality was exposed back in March 2022. To secure votes from Punjab's nearly 31% Dalit population, Arvind Kejriwal had promised before the elections that if AAP formed the government, the Deputy Chief Minister would be from the Dalit community. However, even after three and a half years in power, no Dalit Deputy CM has been appointed. 

Kejriwal had also promised that upon forming the government, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) would be set up to investigate atrocities and false cases against Dalits over the past five years and recommend strict action. Nearly four years have passed, and no SIT has been formed yet.

As per election promises, the backlog of job vacancies for Dalits has still not been cleared.

There are many more examples, but these three alone make it clear that Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann, and their entire Cabinet have an anti-Dalit mentality. That is why, while approving the bill in the Cabinet and later presenting it in the Assembly, they excluded provisions for punishment against disrespect towards the deities and saints of the Ravidassia, Valmiki, Kabir Panth, and Mahasha communities in the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025

Sampla expressed regret that MLAs and ministers belonging to the Valmiki, Ravidassia, Kabir Panth, and Mahasha communities in the government have also remained silent on this issue, forgetting their duties in the comfort of power.

Sampla warned that if the Punjab AAP government does not amend the bill to respect Dalit sentiments, they will take to the streets and launch a protest.