AAP to gherao Punjab CM's residence over alleged scholarship scam on Monday

The Punjab unit of Aam Aadmi Party will go on a series of hunger strikes against the alleged Congress-led state government's misappropriation of post-matric scholarships money for 'Dalit students' from Monday.

Chandigarh: The Punjab unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will gherao and go on a series of hunger strikes from Monday outside the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's residence in protest against the alleged Congress-led state government's misappropriation of post-matric scholarships money for 'Dalit students'.

Senior AAP leader and in-charge of Payal assembly constituency, Manwinder Singh Giaspura said, "The Aam Aadmi Party would continue its series of hunger strikes till the Congress government releases the dues of SC students to the tune of Rs 1,539 crore." In a statement issued from the party headquarters here on Sunday, Giaspura said, "Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar had given books to the students of Dalit society, but the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government is snatching the books from the hands of Dalit students which the Aam Aadmi Party will never tolerate."

He alleged that earlier the Akali Dal Badal led by Parkash Singh Badal and the BJP government had robbed the rights of Dalits and now the Congress government is doing the same. Giaspura alleged that the investigation report submitted by senior IAS officer Kirpa Shankar Saroj had revealed that Amarinder Singh's cabinet minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot had embezzled crores of rupees in grants sent by the Union government for Dalit students and had given scholarships worth crores of rupees to two of his favourite colleges.

He further alleged that Finance Minister of the Congress government, Manpreet Singh Badal had not fulfilled his responsibility and misused the scholarship money sent by the Union government. The AAP leader demanded that a case be registered against both the cabinet ministers Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Manpreet Singh Badal under SC/ST Act and they should be immediately removed from the cabinet.

"AAP would continue to fight for the rights of Dalit students and would start a struggle in favor of Dalit students at the residence of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday, June 14 to force the government to release the scholarships money of Dalit students," Giaspura said.

(ANI)