Sarpanch Slap a Slap in the Face of All Women and the Law - 14/12/2011

New Delhi

14 December 2011

Dear Bhenji

Sarpanch Slap a Slap in the Face of All Women and the Law

A week has passed since the disgusting debacle at your Sangat Darshan function in Gidderbaha in which a female teacher was slapped and assaulted by one of your supporting Sarpanches. Shocked and disgusted as I am by the thuggish behaviour of Daula Sarpanch Balwinder Singh, I am even more so by the deafening silence from you following the incident at your rally.

Not a single official statement. Not a single apology. Not a single attempt to engage with Ms Varender Kaur, which is surely the very least she deserves after being so brave in the face of such utterly unacceptable violence against her at your rally. Your father in law speaking his condemnation, although surprising and commendable, does not cancel the need for you to do so. What is required is for you to personally condemn this crime.

You claim to stand for women’s rights therefore your voice should have been the first to cry foul here. This was no distant incident with unclear facts. It happened at your event. Why are you unable to stand up for what is right? The respect and support you would have gained as a human being, as a woman, and as a leader would have far outweighed the disgruntlement of the Sarpanch involved. Instead, no-one has one iota more respect for you, and the whole scenario is mired in bad feelings. Sadly, you have become one more member of the SAD to fail to stand against the goonda culture which has burgeoned under the rule of your Party.

Sadly, without the footage going viral online and on TV channels this incident would likely have been completely buried immediately – and Ms Varinder Kaur would have been voiceless, as are so many others who are victims of the SAD henchmen. How many others are roughed up by Akali goondas beyond the cameras reach?

The tardiness in pressing charges against Balwinder Singh Sarpanch is shocking. If there had not been a public outcry then clearly nothing would have happened. Police were present in abundance at your rally. They were also close to hand at the time of the incident as has clearly been seen by millions of people on the footage shown across the world. Are they so toothless under SAD rule that they cannot act against crime committed under their very noses?

Alleging that it happened when you were not personally at the venue is no excuse. The function being in your name is even more reason to have condemned the incident in the strongest terms immediately. I cannot understand why you would not do so, and have not done so, and find it entirely unpardonable.

With disappointment

Kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

Jassi Khangura MLA