New Delhi, August 2026 : Dalit organisations and supporters staged a strong protest near Kalyanpuri Bus Stand on Thursday against Delhi BJP minister Parvesh Verma, alleging that he had insulted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Dalit MLA Kuldeep Kumar inside the Delhi Assembly.
The protesters raised slogans against Verma and accused him of displaying an anti-Dalit mindset. Kumar, who represents the Kondli Assembly constituency, said the alleged behaviour of the BJP minister had triggered widespread anger among members of the Dalit community.
Kumar said the manner in which Verma allegedly behaved with him inside the Assembly was deeply insulting. He also alleged that Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta did not invite him to the inauguration of the Kondli flyover on Thursday despite his being the elected MLA from the constituency.
According to Kumar, the flyover had originally been constructed during the tenure of the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, with only about five per cent of the work remaining. He claimed that the BJP government took nearly one-and-a-half years to complete the remaining work.
“Several Dalit organisations have come out today to protest against the insulting behaviour and language used by BJP minister Parvesh Verma against me inside the Delhi Assembly,” Kumar said. He alleged that Verma had attempted to exercise authority that he did not possess.
Kumar further alleged that he was deliberately excluded from the flyover inauguration because he belongs to the Dalit community. He claimed that the project had been completed nearly six months ago but that its formal inauguration was delayed.
He also accused the Delhi government of trying to take political credit for projects initiated under the previous administration. Kumar said people would not forget the role played by the Kejriwal government in developing the infrastructure in Kondli.
The AAP MLA also levelled broader allegations against the BJP government, accusing it of being insensitive towards Dalits. He alleged that the government had removed a portrait of Dr B.R. Ambedkar and renamed schools associated with his name as “CM Shri” schools.
Kumar claimed that the controversy surrounding his treatment in the Assembly was part of a larger pattern of alleged disrespect towards elected representatives from the Dalit community. He said voters would ultimately respond to such conduct through democratic means.
During the protest, AAP Patparganj district in-charge Surendra Jaglan also criticised Verma and the Delhi government. He alleged that Verma had behaved improperly with Kumar during proceedings in the Assembly and said the protest was intended to oppose what he described as an anti-Dalit mindset.
Jaglan referred to the role of Assembly marshals in maintaining order and said they were required to follow established procedures while escorting members out of the House. He alleged that Verma's reported instruction to marshals to “take him away” reflected disrespect towards Kumar.
Jaglan, who identified himself as a Jat, appealed for social harmony and said caste-based divisions should not be allowed to weaken relations between communities.
“If an atmosphere of hatred and untouchability against Dalits is created, how will social harmony survive?” he asked, accusing the BJP of attempting to divide Dalit communities.
The protest comes amid a wider political confrontation between the AAP and the BJP in Delhi, with both parties trading allegations over governance, social issues and the treatment of opposition legislators.
AAP leaders said they would continue raising the issue and demanding accountability, while the allegations against Verma are expected to remain a point of political contention in the Delhi Assembly and outside it.
