Overview
- Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission took suo motu cognisance and summoned Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa to appear on February 11, also seeking a report from Amritsar police.
- Chandigarh Police used barricades and water cannons to stop AAP’s march to Bajwa’s Sector 8 home, briefly detaining ministers and MLAs including Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema before releasing them.
- At a Congress rally in Jandiala Guru, Bajwa referred to minister Harbhajan Singh as a “band player” and said “we will take him to task,” triggering the row.
- AAP leaders called the remark an insult to the Dalit community, demanded an unconditional apology within 24 hours, and warned of legal and political action, while Congress said the line was a political pun without casteist intent.
- Harbhajan Singh said his father worked as a band player, described himself as a proud son of a hardworking man, and termed Bajwa’s words elitist and anti-Dalit, as AAP supporters used a brass band in a symbolic protest.