Punjab Congress to hold statewide candle marches seeking action in Haryana IPS officer suicide case

Criticising the way the BJP government in Haryana has handled the case, Channi pointed out that, normally in such cases, all the names mentioned in the suicide note are included in the FIR. He, thereafter, asserted that the Chandigarh Police, which directly come under the control of the BJP government at the Centre, had not named all the accused.

“Remove the DGP, handcuff him and put him behind bars,” Channi remarked, while asking if a Dalit IPS officer cannot get justice, what should be the plight of the ordinary Dalits.

The former Punjab chief minister said this was not an isolated case, as systematic and organised victimisation of the Dalits was taking place under the BJP rule that seeks inspiration from the Manusmriti.

He pointed out how one lawyer tried to hurl a shoe at the Chief Justice of India and how a youth, Hari Om Balmiki, was lynched in Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh.

He then stated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had mocked Dr B R Ambedkar inside Parliament, reflecting the thinking of the BJP about the Dalits and Ambedkar.

Speaking on the occasion, Warring announced that the Congress will hold candlelight marches at all district headquarters across Punjab on Monday in memory of Kumar and seek justice for his family. He said that the suicide was the outcome of the policies of ‘Manuvadi’ forces. “The RSS believes in Manusmriti as its constitution,” he said, while adding that BJP leaders were only showing respect for the Constitution of the country, fearing a Dalit backlash.

Warring alleged that the BJP was getting such things done deliberately to polarise people along communal and caste lines to win the elections. He said, as the BJP has failed on all fronts, it has been trying to win the elections either through polarisation or through vote theft.

Warring apprehended a deliberate conspiracy to also disturb peace in Punjab, pointing out how Dr Ambedkar’s statue was desecrated on January 26, 2025.

“The Congress will not allow such divisive forces to divide the people or divide the country,” he asserted, while appealing to people to be alert.

All India Congress Committee secretary Sukhwinder Singh Danny said that both the BJP at the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab were victimising the Dalits.