Controversy erupts over appointment of Punjab SC Commission member

The recent appointment of Rohit Khokhar as a member of the Punjab Scheduled Castes Commission has sparked a major controversy, with a senior BJP leader Sucha Ram Ladhar (IAS officer, retd) alleging that the move was unconstitutional.

In a formal communication to Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Ladhar urged an immediate halt to the appointment, citing that Khokhar belongs to the Christian community and not the Scheduled Caste category — a mandatory qualification for membership in the commission.

Talking to newsmen here, Ladhar claimed that the Punjab Government was “deliberately engineering a social divide among communities,” especially on the eve of Dr BR Ambedkar’s Jayanti, a time considered highly significant by Dalit communities across the country.

“This move appears to be part of a wider agenda,” said Ladhar, while linking the appointment to recent incidents of vandalism targeting Dr Ambedkar’s statues in the state. He also raised concerns over the alleged procurement of bogus SC certificates and misuse of quotas and benefits earmarked for Scheduled Castes.

Ladhar accused the government of turning a blind eye to these “blatant malpractices” and offering patronage to individuals securing public posts under false pretences. He called upon the Governor to “intervene immediately” to protect the sanctity and constitutional mandate of the Punjab SC Commission.

Jalandhar