Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday found himself addressing a controversy, apologizing for the allegedly casteist remarks made by Laljit Singh Bhullar, his Cabinet colleague in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government and the party’s candidate for the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency. The incident unfolded earlier this month when Bhullar sparked outrage with comments directed at former Congress MLA Harminder Singh Gill during an election rally in Tarn Taran district’s Patti area. His remarks, perceived as derogatory towards certain castes, prompted widespread condemnation.
In response to the criticism, Bhullar had released a video expressing regret to the communities affected by his statements but stopped short of apologizing to Gill. The situation escalated as the opposition parties, including the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), seized upon the controversy, condemning Bhullar's conduct and demanding swift action.
Mann, addressing a campaign rally for Bhullar in Patti, took a firm stance, denouncing the remarks made by his Minister. He emphasized AAP’s commitment to inclusive politics, stating, “Laljit Singh Bhullar made the wrong remarks in the sway of emotions. AAP does not support such behaviour. We are not into politics of caste and creed. We do not do politics of religion and hate. We do politics of education, hospitals, electricity.”
The Chief Minister stressed the need for Bhullar to issue an unconditional apology and reaffirmed the party's dedication to governance based on meritocracy, devoid of discrimination. “I called him on the same day and asked him to apologize unconditionally. He went to Harmandir Sahib to seek forgiveness. Being the head, I too apologize for Bhullar’s conduct,” said Mann.
At the same time, Mann asserted, “I want to make it clear to Laljit that such behaviour won’t be tolerated in future because it is our responsibility to bring society together. Harmandir Sahib has four doors that welcome everyone. I respect all communities.”
Appealing to the people of Patti, Mann said that sometimes mistakes happen, “little problems and obstacles appear but do not stop, keep moving towards development, our goals are bigger”.
He also asked Bhullar to not give irresponsible statements, adding, “we are here to do politics of work, we are here to save our democracy and the Constitution, we are here to build schools and hospitals and give jobs to our “youth.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties had press their advantage, with SAD lodging a formal complaint with the Punjab Chief Electoral Officer against Bhullar accusing him of violating the model code of conduct and demanded his immediate arrest. Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira went further, calling for Bhullar's dismissal from the Cabinet, labeling him a “racist minister”.
In his apology video, Bhullar had attempted to contextualize his comments, attributing them to emotional outbursts and personal grievances against Gill. While expressing regret if his remarks had hurt any community members, he maintained they were directed solely at Gill. However, the opposition remained unsatisfied, characterizing Bhullar's apology as insufficient and insincere.
