Chandigarh: The Punjab assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution urging the Centre to confer the Bharat Ratna upon Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) founder, late Kanshi Ram.The move comes less than a year before the 2027 assembly elections in the state, where Scheduled Castes comprise one-third of the population — making the Dalit vote bank a key factor — and a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sent a letter to the Prime Minister making a similar demand. Lone BSP MLA Nachhatar Pal supported the resolution, which was moved by finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on the final day of the budget session and a day after the Dalit icon’s 92nd birth anniversary. While supporting the motion, Congress MLAs, led by leader of the opposition (LoP), Partap Singh Bajwa, proposed expanding the resolution to include a Bharat Ratna for freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Despite being raised repeatedly, this proposal was not adopted by the House. Instead, AAP legislator Manjit Singh Bilaspur moved a “condemnation resolution” against Bajwa. He sought an unconditional apology and disciplinary action against the LoP over his “band baja” remarks directed at cabinet minister Harbhajan Singh ETO. Bilaspur argued that such comments insulted the minister’s background and contradicted the egalitarian philosophy of Kanshi Ram. In protest against the rejection of Bhagat Singh’s inclusion and the resolution against Bajwa, Congress legislators staged a walkout. In their absence, Bilaspur’s condemnation resolution was passed by a voice vote. Earlier, Bajwa said that Rahul Gandhi had championed the cause just a day before, thanking the treasury benches for taking inspiration from the LoP in the Lok Sabha. AAP minister Aman Arora countered, asserting that AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had raised the demand as far back as 2016. “It took ten years for Rahul Gandhi to wake up,” Arora said, adding that Congress was only supporting the move now to revive its fading presence in Punjab. BSP MLA Nachhatar Pal also took a swipe at the Congress, saying, “The parties that once worked against Kanshi Ram’s movement are today trying to take credit.” Moving the resolution, Cheema highlighted Kanshi Ram’s pivotal role in advancing Dr B R Ambedkar’s mission for social, economic, and political equality. He reminded the House that Kejriwal had requested the honour from the Central govt in 2016, though it was never granted. Neither of the two BJP MLAs was present, and of the three SAD-elected members, only Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi (who is now aligned with AAP) attended. The session saw further disruption when AAP legislators trooped into the well of the House to protest the BJP-led Centre over LPG shortage. Wearing vests emblazoned with the slogan, “Narendra Modi ne keeta surrender, Gayab hoya gas cylinder” (Narendra Modi has surrendered, the gas cylinder has vanished), the MLAs staged a protest during Question Hour. Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan adjourned the House for 20 minutes after the protest intensified during Zero Hour. MSID:: 129610962 413 |
