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AAP holds musical protest over Bajwa’s ‘band player’ jibe
Leading the protest, public works department minister Harbhajan Singh demanded an apology from the LoP
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday staged a protest against Congress leader and leader of Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, over his alleged ‘objectionable’ remarks against cabinet minister Harbhajan Singh.
Led by the minister, AAP leaders and workers held a demonstration with a wedding band outside the Punjab Vidhan Sabha against the Congress leader’s remarks in which he allegedly referred to the public works department minister as a band player (band vajaun wala). Accusing Singh of corruption, Bajwa, while addressing a public meeting last month, said, “Jehra pehlaan band vajanada reha hai, ehda band assi vajavange (We will take to task the one who used to be a band player).”
The comments were deemed objectionable by the ruling AAP leaders, who called them ‘casteist slur’ and ‘a direct insult to the Dalit community’. Reacting to the remarks, the minister said, “My father used to play in a band to support us. I am a proud son of a hardworking man. The Congress leader’s remarks show his elitist and anti-Dalit mindset.” Demanding an apology from the Congress leader, Singh said, “We had earlier also asked Bajwa to apologise for his statement. Instead of expressing regret, he has remained silent.”
However, Bajwa has categorically denied that his remarks had anything to do with Singh’s caste.
LoP claims security breach, writes to guv
After the ruling party’s protest, Bajwa hit out at AAP leaders, accusing them of a ‘shocking breach of security’ inside the vidhan sabha premises. “Allowing private individuals and a band team inside the restricted precincts of the House is a serious violation of security protocols,” he posted on X. The LoP also wrote to Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria about the breach of security and unauthorised demonstration with a band team within vidhan sabha premises, requesting a thorough investigation and strict action against those responsible.
“As per the Rules of Procedure, the term ‘Precincts of the House’ encompasses the entire Punjab Vidhan Sabha Bhawan Complex, including the area within the Outer Speaker Gate and the Outer Staff Gate, as well as such other places as the Speaker may specify from time to time. This zone is formally designated as a restricted and sensitive area, where the unauthorised entry of private individuals and the staging of demonstrations are strictly prohibited,” he wrote.
He said that conducting such a protest immediately prior to the governor’s arrival was highly inappropriate and amounted to a serious breach of security protocol. “It has come to notice that no permission for this protest was granted either by the Chandigarh Administration or by the Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. This raises a critical question as to how private individuals were issued entry passes granting them access to the Vidhan Sabha complex,” he claimed, urging the governor to direct the Chandigarh Police to conduct a thorough investigation into this breach of security.
