Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday criticized the Congress party and chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh for ignoring the representation of backward classes in the Punjab cabinet. In a press statement, AAP MLA from Kotkapura Kultar Singh Sandhwan said that the list of newly appointed ministers shows the feudal mindset of Capt. Amarinder Singh as he failed to induct any minster from backward classes or scheduled caste communities.
Sandhwan rubbishes the claim of Capt. that seniority was made the parameter for the appointment as ministers and said that if seniority was the parameter then Sangat Singh Gilzian, Raj Kumar Verka and Pargat Singh would have been inducted in the state cabinet. He said that neither the earlier appointed ministers nor does the list released yesterday carries the name of even a single person from backward classes that has a large chunk of population in state. “The act shows that Congress party does not care for the rights of backward classes and schedule casts. As per the 2011 census, backward classes population has reached up to more than 22% of total population in the state but not even a single representative was inducted in the Punjab cabinet.
“There is no difference between SAD-BJP and Congress when it comes to the welfare and representation of backward classes in the affairs of state. The previous SAD-BJP govt. had no minister from backward classes and now Capt. Amarinder has followed the footsteps of Badals by choosing no minister from backward classes.” Sandhwan said. He said that the cabinet expansion is just the expansion of the ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ of Capt. Amarinder Singh and an act to adjust his coterie into the state cabinet.