Hoshiarpur (Punjab), February 13 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged protests across Punjab on Friday outside the district Congress committee offices, in response to alleged remarks made by Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa against state minister Harbhajan Singh.
Led by party leaders, including ministers and MLAs, AAP members held sit-in demonstrations and raised slogans condemning Bajwa's comments. In several locations, protests also took place outside the homes of Congress leaders.
In Hoshiarpur, Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Jai Krishan Singh Rouri, along with some party MLAs, were among those present at the protest.
The ruling party even arranged for a wedding band to play during the demonstrations as a symbolic protest against Bajwa's alleged derogatory remarks.
Addressing the gathering in Hoshiarpur, AAP leaders described Bajwa's comments as "unfortunate and unacceptable," demanding an apology from him. They stated that they would continue to oppose him on this issue during the upcoming Budget session of the Punjab Assembly.
Bajwa had accused Minister Harbhajan Singh of corruption and stated that the Congress would hold him accountable once they form the government. "He who used to be a band player will be taken to task by us," Bajwa had said, referring to Singh.
In response, Harbhajan Singh criticised Bajwa, asserting that mocking honest, hard-earned livelihoods was shameful. He noted that his father was a bandmaster who educated his children through hard work.
Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission chairman Jasvir Singh Garhi had taken suo motu notice of Bajwa's remark. Bajwa's counsel had said on Wednesday that the leader of the opposition (LoP) in the Punjab Assembly did not make any objectionable remarks against Harbhajan Singh.
Bajwa's denial came through his counsel Arvind Kumar Sachdeva, who appeared before the chairman of the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission in a case of his alleged objectionable remarks against Harbhajan Singh.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters during the protest in Hoshiarpur, Rouri said such language did not suit the LoP. "In a democratic system, it is not appropriate to make comments on someone's background or profession. Such language has no place in Punjab," he said.
Rouri added that Bajwa's remarks had hurt the sentiments of working-class individuals. He highlighted that Harbhajan Singh comes from a humble background and has achieved success through hard work, emphasising that disrespecting any profession goes against Punjab's culture.
"The band is traditionally associated with celebrations and the dignity of labour. Targeting someone for such work reflects a narrow mindset," he said.
Rouri further stated that political opposition should be based on issues and policies rather than personal or derogatory references.
In Ludhiana, AAP protested outside the office of Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, with Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian leading the demonstration. Mundian condemned the language used by Congress leaders.
AAP demonstrators also staged protests in other areas, including Sri Muktsar Sahib, Moga, Bathinda, Amritsar, and Jalandhar, further highlighting their discontent.