AAP stages walk out over minister's remarks against Valmiki community

AAP legislators on Monday walked out from the Punjab assembly over the alleged objectionable remarks against the Valmiki community by Cabinet Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.

Ashu is reportedly under fire from the community in Ludhiana, which has accused him of insulting them by using the "Valmiki mafia" phrase in the matter of garbage collection.

During the zero hour, Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema sought action against the minister for the remarks, the video of which has gone viral on social media.

Cheema sought the registration of a case against the minister and wondered why Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had been "repeatedly saving" Ashu, who earlier had been under fire over allegations levelled by a suspended DSP that he had "confessed to have harboured" two militants in early 1990s.

When Congress MLA Raja Amrinder Singh Warring tried to counter the offensive launched by AAP, a heated exchange took place between him and Cheema.

Minister Ashu, however, described the allegations "baseless".

Cheema called upon legislators of all political parties to support AAP and boycott Ashu for his remarks.

Seeking action against the minister, AAP legislators stormed the well of the House and then staged a walkout.

Later, two legislators of the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) raised the issue of the death of a bank employee allegedly due to "police torture" in Ludhiana.

SAD MLA and party's legislative wing leader Sharanjit Singh Dhillon said Deepak Shukla had died allegedly due to "police torture" and his family had been demanding the registration of an FIR.

"His body has been lying in the hospital for the past five days," claimed Dhillon.

LIP legislator Simarjeet Singh Bains said the police had even sought money from the family of Shukla for releasing him.

Seeking to corner the state government over the "deteriorating" law and order situation, Bains said police had failed to catch THE robbers who looted 30 kg of gold from a bank Ludhiana last month.