Chandigarh, October 22: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Thursday strongly condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that it has repeatedly shown a discriminatory attitude towards Sikhs, Punjabis and minority communities. Addressing the media in Chandigarh, Dhaliwal cited three recent incidents to support his allegation: the treatment of singer Daler Mehndi at an event in Uttarakhand, the denial of permissions for Diljit Dosanjh's Delhi show, and the treatment of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann at Delhi airport.
Source: Illustrated Daily News
On the Daler Mehndi episode, Dhaliwal said the conduct of a BJP minister at a programme in Uttarakhand was deeply condemnable. He said Mehndi has earned immense love and recognition across the world, and that disrespecting an artist of that stature exposes the party's attitude towards Punjab's people and culture, according to both reports.
Source: The World Opinion
On Diljit Dosanjh, Dhaliwal alleged that the singer's Delhi show was originally planned for November 1 and that permission had already been obtained, but he was later asked to change the date because of historical events associated with November 1 in Delhi. For the proposed alternative date of October 30, the necessary clearance was denied, Dhaliwal alleged. He asked whether Dosanjh was being treated unfairly because of his Sikh identity and Punjabi background, noting that the singer has performed before audiences around the world without facing such restrictions. This account of the show's permissions is Dhaliwal's claim, as reported by both outlets.
Dhaliwal also condemned the treatment of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at Delhi airport on his return from France, alleging that Mann was deliberately humiliated under the pretext of excess baggage. He argued that baggage weight is ordinarily checked at the point of departure, so any excess should have been dealt with in France itself. 'Bhagwant Mann is among the few Chief Ministers who openly raise the state's issues before the Central government,' Dhaliwal said, according to Illustrated Daily News.
'The BJP must change this discriminatory policy. Punjabis have sacrificed immensely for this country and have always contributed to its progress. They will not accept repeated insults to their identity, their artists or their elected leadership,' Dhaliwal said. He appealed to Punjabis across India and around the world to recognise what he described as the BJP's continued disregard for Punjab and its people. No BJP response to Dhaliwal's remarks was included in either report.