Punjab Congress Chief's "Fire" Warning Amid Row Over CS Channi's Dalit Remark

Cracks within the Punjab Congress have widened as former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's leaked remarks on inadequate Dalit representation have pushed internal rifts into the public eye. The controversy, sparked by a viral video of a closed-door meeting, has triggered a sharp response from the state leadership.

On Tuesday, several party leaders gathered at the Chandigarh residence of Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring for a high-level meeting.

After the meeting, Warring adopted a tough stance. Although he did not mention Channi by name, his tone was sharp. "I want to tell the party leaders-I appeal to them not to speak the language of the Bharatiya Janata Party," Warring stated. "The politics of caste, religion, and dividing people is practised by the BJP, not the Congress."

Issuing a stern warning, he said, "Whoever plays with this fire will burn themselves." Warring pointedly reminded that the party high command had elevated Channi, a Dalit, to the Chief Minister's post in 2021 despite shifting dynamics. "Sukhjinder Randhawa was expected to become the chief minister. Suddenly, a direction came from the high command that Channi would assume the post, though not a single MLA was originally with him," Warring remarked.

Warring, however, denied that there was factionalism in the Punjab Congress.

He asserted that the party remains united, characterising the friction as "minor differences" common to "any organisation or any family."

Meanwhile, former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, speaking after the meeting at Warring's residence, struck a more conciliatory note, stating that Channi had not said anything wrong. He emphasised that the party's priority should be determining how the Congress can move forward in Punjab.

The controversy stems from a video of a Scheduled Caste wing meeting on Saturday, where Channi was heard seeking greater Dalit representation. "If you accept that there is a population of 35-38 per cent [of Dalits] in Punjab, which there is, why are we not getting representation?" Channi asked. He went on to list key positions, including the Punjab President, CLP leader, Women's Wing head, and General Secretary, noting they were all held by members of the "upper caste."

On Tuesday, the Jalandhar MP clarified his stance, stating that he did not speak against any particular caste or community and claimed he was the victim of "malicious propaganda" and selective editing online.