Punjab Assembly passes censure motion against 'removal' of Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh photos in Delhi

Chandigarh, Feb 25 (PTI) The Punjab Assembly Tuesday unanimously passed a censure motion, condemning the "removal" B R Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh's portraits from the government offices of Delhi ministers after the BJP came to power there.

The two BJP MLAs in Punjab -- Ashwani Kumar and Jangilal Mahajan-- were not present in the House when the censure motion was passed.

AAP has alleged that the portraits of Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh have been removed from Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's office.

However, the BJP has denied the charge as "rumour" and accused AAP of trying to distract people from the CAG reports, one of which was tabled in the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday, exposing "corruption" by the Arvind Kejriwal-led party when it was in power.

On the concluding day of the two-day session of the Punjab Assembly, Cabinet Minister Aman Arora moved the motion and came down heavily on the BJP government in Delhi for allegedly "insulting" the national heroes.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema alleged that immediately after BJP ministers in Delhi assumed charge, the portraits of Ambedkar were removed from the government offices.

"I think that the BJP is insulting Dalits in a big way," Cheema alleged in the House. He also claimed that the BJP wants to change the Constitution.

Earlier, raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Cheema called for the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to pass a resolution condemning the actions of the BJP government in Delhi and to send it to the President.

The removal of Babasaheb Ambedkar's pictures by the BJP government in Delhi serves as a blatant affront to the Dalits of the country, he alleged.

Cheema also claimed that there has been an "alarming" increase in "atrocities" against Dalits since the BJP came to power at the Centre.

The instances of rape and blatant attempts to tinker with the Constitution have become distressingly frequent, further fueling concerns about the BJP's intentions to alter it, he alleged.

Drawing the assembly's attention to a recent attempt to "desecrate" the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar in Amritsar, Cheema expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for the swift arrest of the accused.

It reflected the government's commitment to upholding justice and protecting the dignity of Ambedkar's legacy, he said.

The Punjab finance minister also criticised the BJP's efforts to "dismantle" established institutions and bring policies like One Nation, One Election, saying it undermines the democratic principles and rights enshrined in the Constitution.

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa endorsed the censure motion.

Participating in the debate, MLA Sukhwinder Sukhi alleged that the BJP's agenda is to "finish off Dalits and minority." BSP MLA Nachhatar Pal also criticised the BJP over the alleged removal of pictures of Ambedkar.

In the face of AAP's allegation, the Delhi BJP had shared photos of the chief minister's office on social media and said, "The portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh, the President and the prime minister are displayed in the offices of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and other ministers." On the eve of Republic Day in 2022, then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal directed officials that only the portraits of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh will be displayed in government offices, including the CM's office. Photos of no other political leader will be displayed in Delhi government offices, he had said. PTI CHS VSD NSD NSD

Source: PTI