AAP, Cong and SAD target BJP over ‘anti-punjabi’ remark

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Chandigarh, June 19

A remark by Chandigarh BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra has sparked a political storm, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) accusing him of insulting the Punjabi community and demanding an apology. The controversy led to protests in Chandigarh on Friday, where AAP workers attempted to march towards the BJP office. The police stopped the demonstrators by placing barricades around the area. Protesters raised slogans against the BJP and burned an effigy of Malhotra.

 As criticism mounted, Malhotra defended himself, saying his remarks had been taken out of context. He alleged that political opponents had circulated edited video clips from a sports event to create controversy.The BJP leader maintained that he was referring to himself and not the Punjabi community. However, he said he regretted any hurt caused by his comments and expressed sorrow if people had felt offended.The episode has quickly turned into a political flashpoint, with opposition parties portraying it as an issue of Punjabi pride and identity, while the BJP leader insists his words have been misrepresented.

AAP leaders said the comments had hurt the sentiments of Punjabis, a community they described as having made immense sacrifices for the nation. They pointed to Punjab’s contributions to India’s freedom struggle, border security and food production, arguing that any derogatory remarks against Punjabis were unacceptable. The party urged the BJP to publicly distance itself from the statement and take action against its Chandigarh unit chief.

Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also criticised the remarks, saying Punjabis have always stood up for their self-respect and rights. He said the community has consistently played a leading role during national crises and deserved respect rather than ridicule.The Shiromani Akali Dal echoed similar concerns, calling on Malhotra to apologise and clarify his comments.