Various organizations representing the Valmiki community have voiced their dissatisfaction over the absence of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann from a Valmiki Jayanti event. In response, they announced plans to initiate a protest, citing the government’s perceived indifference to their demands.
Kamal Khosla, the Chief General Secretary of the Bhagwan Valmiki Ashram Dhuna Sahib Trust, Sant Samaj, and Safai Mazdoro Federation Punjab, expressed disappointment, stating that extensive arrangements had been made to welcome Mann. The Chief Minister was expected to announce the fulfillment of certain demands, but he chose not to attend the event.
Khosla further noted that senior officials from the Amritsar administration had assured them on multiple occasions of Mann’s participation in the program. Several outstanding demands from the Valmiki community related to the Bhagwan Valmiki Teerath Sathal Shrine Board, Ram Teerath, and sanitation workers remain unaddressed.
To address the situation, they have scheduled a meeting in Amritsar on November 2. If the government fails to take action regarding their demands, they intend to commence an indefinite sit-in at Bhandari Bridge from November 6, Khosla announced.
Punjab Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, who attended the event, urged people to embrace the noble principles advocated by Bhagwan Valmiki. He emphasized that fostering the spirit of peace, harmony, and community is the need of the hour to build an egalitarian society.
