Here is why former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar is facing party action

The AICC on Monday issued a show cause notice to the former Punjab Congress chief for his alleged anti-party involvement and alleged comments against the Dalit community.

The All India Congress committee (AICC) on Monday issued a show cause notice to the former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar on the basis of a complaint filed by AICC in-charge of Punjab and Chandigarh Harish Chaudhary alleging anti-party activities. Jakhar has been given a week's time to file his reply.

According to reports, Sunil Jakhar was allegedly miffed after he was denied a Chief Minister's post after Captain Amarinder Singh's removal. Jakhar first targeted senior Congress leader Ambika Soni for allegedly objecting to his candidature, saying only a Sikh can become a Chief Minister in Punjab. Jakhar bagged the highest number of votes after the party high command had sought the opinion of the then MLAs on a new CM face.

Read | Sonia Gandhi must clarify her stand on Sunil Jakhar’s anti-Dalit remark: AAP

Jakhar's anger against the party high command was also clearly visible in the television interviews, particularly after the party's shameful defeat in the assembly elections."The person (Charanjit Channi) who was given the responsibility on the basis of the feedback given by Harish Rawat and the person who was made the chief minister was not accepted as a leader.This led to anarchy in the Congress. There may be hundreds of complaints against Captain Amarinder Singh but he was an undisputed leader," Jakhar said in a recent interview.Jakhar has also openly criticised Charanjit Singh Channi for posing as a common man, saying 'whatever trait was presented before the high command proved to be an eyewash'. "He is a Jalimal (fake) and has a fake degree of poverty and honesty. I had told Rahul Gandhi that I cannot work with him and know who he is. There is nothing in him. He is nothing except his religious identity," Jakhar said in an interview.Jakhar had also cited the alleged MeToo incidents and the ED crackdown on a close relative of Channi, as a reason why he did not like Channi as a leader. "I did not accept him as the leader on the very first day and cannot even accept him today."

Sunil Jakhar, in an interview to a web channel, had kicked off a controversy by allegedly making an anti-dalit remark while criticising Charanjit Singh Channi."I had warned not to give someone importance like this..if you lift someone from the ground and put on your head ..One leader had even said that he has been given so much that he cannot handle..This is a question of a status.The place of the shoes is always on the ground .Put them there.The leadership has to know where to keep everybody in their place," he said.Jakhar's statement had angered the Dalit community as many Congress leaders, including former Cabinet Minister Dr Raj Kumar Verka and Aruna Chaudhary had demanded action against him.The comments had also sparked protests in Ludhiana.The former Congress chief has however denied the allegations saying his statement was twisted and he has always respected the people of all communities."My statement was twisted .What I wanted to tell the Congress High Command was that they should not entertain leaders like this (Channi).They are not only bringing down the status of the party but also the morale of the party workers. I respected all castes and religions in my entire seven-decade-long political career," Jakhar said in a video posted on Facebook.Meanwhile, the Congress party high command has taken serious note of the anti-party activities and statements issued by the party leaders. Former Amargarh party MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman was expelled from the party within hours after he commented against present PCC Chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.