BJP candidates Dushyant Kumar Gautam, Rajkumar Anand, Advocate Priyanka Gautam, Rinku Kumari, Khushi Ram Chunar, Deepak Valmiki, Deepti Indora, and Kamal Bagri held a joint press conference, organised by party media head Praveen Shankar, where they strongly condemned the attack on Dr B R Ambedkar’s statue in Amritsar, Punjab. They expressed disappointment over the silence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, questioning their commitment to the Dalit community.
The BJP candidates accused Kejriwal of revealing AAP’s anti-Dalit stance by failing to speak out against the vandalism of Ambedkar’s statue. “If Kejriwal cannot speak up for Baba Saheb today, will he remain silent tomorrow if a Dalit MLA faces injustice?” they asked.
They pointed to Kejriwal’s lack of action in appointing a Dalit Deputy CM or offering Rajya Sabha representation to a Dalit in his tenure, accusing him of inconsistency between his words and actions. The candidates claimed the AAP has failed the Dalit community by making empty promises, while the BJP has ensured more representation, including fielding Dalit candidates in general seats like Ballimaran and Matia Mahal.
The BJP candidates called on AAP’s 12 Dalit MLAs to question Kejriwal’s silence on the statue desecration and demanded justice for AAP’s first Dalit leader, the late Santosh Koli. Dushyant Kumar Gautam alleged that AAP has exploited Dalits for the past 12 years, and now, as Dalits are turning against them, the party is in panic. “They even allowed Baba Saheb’s statue to be demolished. I ask AAP’s 12 Dalit candidates—will they tolerate this insult to Ambedkar?” Gautam said.
Rajkumar Anand criticised Kejriwal for using the excuse that he lacks control over Delhi Police, while failing to act on the incident in Punjab, where he has full authority. “The statue was vandalised in Punjab, and yet no strict action has been taken. This is an insult to the Dalit community, and we will not tolerate it,” Anand said. He reiterated his resignation over the diversion of SC/ST funds in Delhi for nine years.
Priyanka Gautam challenged Kejriwal to name a single initiative he has taken for Ambedkar in his 11 years in power. “Has he even installed a single statue of Ambedkar? The BJP, on the other hand, is providing reservations beyond the mandated seats, proving its commitment to Dalit empowerment,” she said.
Khushi Ram Chunar called the attack on Ambedkar’s statue not just a physical assault but an emotional blow to every marginalised community in Punjab. “Baba Saheb is a deity for us. AAP’s 12 Dalit MLAs in Delhi have stayed silent. If they can’t speak up for Dalits now, will they stay silent in the Assembly too?” he asked.
Deepak Valmiki condemned the incident as tragic and warned that the Dalit community would demand justice on February 5. Rinku Kumari accused the AAP of using Dalits as a vote bank during elections, only to trample their rights afterward. “This time, Dalits will fight back against the insult,” she said.
Deepti Indora asserted that Dalits and backward classes would not tolerate the disrespect shown to Ambedkar. “We will take action against this insult on February 5,” she warned. Kamal Bagri accused Kejriwal of deceiving Dalits, both in Delhi and now in Punjab, pointing out that even after five days, Kejriwal had not spoken a word about the incident. “His anti-Dalit stance is clear,” Bagri concluded.