Chandigarh: The Chandigarh unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a protest outside the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) Sector 33 office on Friday, demanding the resignation of Chandigarh BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra over his alleged derogatory remarks against Punjabis. Police intercepted the demonstrators as they carried placards and attempted to breach security barricades, subsequently detaining several party workers and taking them to the Sector 34 police station.During the demonstration, AAP workers burned an effigy of Malhotra and raised slogans against the BJP leadership. Protesters alleged that Malhotra’s remarks reflected a sick mindset and a broader anti-Punjabi bias within the BJP, which they claimed undermines the historical sacrifices and contributions made by the community.AAP leaders condemned the in-power party’s silence on the matter, stating, “Punjabis have fed the nation, contributed immensely to India’s freedom struggle and stood fearlessly at the country’s borders to defend its sovereignty. Such remarks are deeply offensive to the dignity and self-respect of the Punjabi community.” They warned that failing to penalise Malhotra sends an unacceptable message to residents of Punjab and Chandigarh.AAP Chandigarh president Vijaypal Singh criticised the police crackdown and reaffirmed that democratic resistance would continue despite the use of force.Singh stated, “Jatinder Pal Malhotra’s statement is not merely a political mistake; it is a direct attack on the self-respect and dignity of Punjabis. If the BJP has no regard for the sentiments of Punjabis, it has no moral right to seek their support. The detention of our workers today only reflects the BJP’s politics of suppression, but we are not afraid. The BJP leadership must take responsibility and address the concerns raised by the Punjabi community.”Malhotra Tenders ApologyFollowing backlash from opposition parties and internal dissent, Chandigarh BJP president Jatinder Malhotra on Friday apologised for his statements. Malhotra stated that if any of his remarks had unintentionally offended or hurt anyone’s sentiments, he sincerely apologised for the same.However, Malhotra also hit back at his critics, accusing the Congress of distorting facts for malicious political gains. He alleged that instead of playing the complete video of the event, the opposition selectively clipped a small portion and presented it entirely out of context to incite regional and religious sentiments.Despite his apology, the fallout hit his own ranks. BJP Councillor Kuljeet Singh Sandhu openly slammed Malhotra, stating that he should be removed from the party’s top post because “he doesn’t know what to speak.” Sandhu further alleged that Malhotra holds a bias against rural areas and had deliberately failed to support Chandigarh farmers during local agricultural crises.
