Chandigarh: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes on Monday directed Punjab Police to arrest state Congress president and Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring over his alleged objectionable and casteist remarks against former Union Home minister late Buta Singh and sought status of the action within five days.Warring dismissed the directive as an act of political vendetta, accusing the BJP-led central govt of using the commission to divert attention from the issue of a “purification” ritual allegedly conducted by party activists at a rally site addressed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani.The commission, chaired by Kishor Makwana, expressed serious concern over delays in the investigation following Warring’s election campaign speech in Tarn Taran in Nov 2025, which drew a complaint from the BJP’s SC Morcha. The complaint alleged Warring’s “inappropriate and derogatory” language against Buta Singh hurt the sentiments of the Scheduled Caste community.In his Nov 4, 2025, reply to returning officer-cum-SDM, Tarn Taran, Warring said his speech had been deliberately twisted and that inferences had been drawn that were not borne out by the full text of his speech.During its hearing attended by Punjab Police officials and Sarbjot Singh, son of Buta Singh, the commission questioned the non-submission of reports despite its May 5, 2026, recommendations. It also recommended immediate police protection for Buta Singh’s family under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and warned investigating officers of potential disciplinary action for neglect of duty. The commission directed that an action taken report in this regard be submitted within 30 days. It also recommended that the investigation be completed expeditiously and the chargesheet filed before the competent court without further undue delay.Denying he used derogatory language, Warring said he had previously clarified his remarks and apologised to Buta Singh’s family, calling them “like his own family“.Warring said the Punjab State SC Commission had also issued an order against him which was stayed by the court. He asserted that Congress will not be intimidated by such tactics and BJP will have to answer for the “shuddi-karran“ of a place just because a Dalit addressed a rally there.He said he had met the commission chairman twice on different matters, claiming the directive was “obviously prompted by the public pressure BJP is feeling after its purification controversy”.
