Kartarpur MLA Balkar Singh on Tuesday strongly criticized previous Congress and SAD-BJP governments for using the Scheduled Caste (SC) community merely as a vote bank to serve their political ambitions. Addressing a press conference in Kartarpur, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator said it was only the AAP government that had worked sincerely to realize the vision of Baba Sahib Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar since assuming office in Punjab.
Highlighting a significant milestone, Balkar Singh said the AAP government took a historic step by implementing reservation for the first time in appointments to the Punjab Advocate General's Office. “Fifty-eight posts have been filled under the SC/ST quota, a long-standing demand ignored by previous regimes despite being raised in the Punjab Assembly by AAP back in 2017,” he said.
He added that the Mann-led government had gone a step further by relaxing the income criteria for eligibility, slashing it by 50 percent. This facilitated the inclusion of SC/ST candidates in top legal positions, including Additional Advocate General, Deputy Advocate General, and Assistant Advocate General.
Balkar Singh also cited the transformation in Punjab’s education sector as another reflection of AAP’s commitment to Dr. Ambedkar’s ideals. “Education was central to Baba Sahib’s vision, and today, the AAP government is setting an example for the entire country with its progressive reforms,” he said.
"We are leaving no stone unturned to ensure the socio-economic upliftment of the SC community," he concluded.