'Post-matric scholarship scam' shows Punjab govt is anti-Dalit: Raghav Chadha

LUDHIANA: The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Punjab unit co-incharge Raghav Chadha said on Friday that his party's struggle would continue till the roll numbers of two lakh Dalit students were “released”.
Raghav Chadha visited Ludhiana to support party MLA and deputy leader of opposition in Punjab assembly, Saravjit Kaur Manuke and senior leader Manwinder Singh Giaspura, who were sitting on a hunger strike against the alleged misappropriation of post-matric scholarship funds.
Chadha said that the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government had “squandered crores of rupees” in the scholarships of two lakh Dalit students and “jeopardized” their future.
“The intentions of the Captain government in regard with post-matric scholarship scam shows that it is anti-Dalit,” he said.
Chadha said that the AAP demands a case to be registered against state finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal and social welfare minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot under the SC/ST Act, as both these ministers were primarily responsible in ruining the lives of the Dalit students.
“The Captain government not only embezzled scholarship money but also embezzled crores of rupees in the procurement of vaccines and Fateh kits required for prevention of Covid-19,” he said.
Chadha said that the Captain government had released some amount to the private colleges after the AAP raised its voice against the “scam”, but the students will not be able to write exams till the government releases the balance amount of Rs 1,539 crore. Therefore, the Aam Aadmi Party has decided to “fight continuously” at the state level till the Dalit students get their roll numbers, he added.