“It’s shameful that Jas Johal is saying one thing to our community on the radio, and saying the opposite just two hours later in the legislature,” says Brar. “He insisted his offensive remarks were ok, even though he knows they weren’t. Why isn’t he telling people in Surrey the truth,” BC NDP MLA Jagrup Brar.

SURREY – BC Liberal MLA Jas Johal, who was a Chamcha of former Premier Christy Clark who first put him on the LNG gravy train and then recruited him to run in Ruchmond-New West riding, made an idiot of himself by using the Punjabi word Chamcha to describe Surrey NDP MLAs in the House this week and then next day he withdrew his shameful remarks.

What Desi moonshine was Johal drinking?

On Tuesday, Johal called the NDP MLAs representing Surrey a ‘bunch of chamchas,’ a Punjabi term he defined as ‘sycophants’ but obviously Johal doesn’t know Punjabi as the word is much more than that.

NDP’s Punjabi brigade of MLAs were quick to cal out Johal, saying Johal used an offensive and derogatory term in the legislature towards them. They charged that it represented the worst kind of politics based on personal insults.

Refusing to apologize for his use of the word, Johal told a Punjabi radio station that his language was not unparliamentary.

“No, no because, what is chamcha? Chamcha is sycophant. If I use the English term, sycophant, that’s not unparliamentary… it’s not unparliamentary, not at all,” Johal told the radio station.

But just two hours later, under pressure from BC NDP Minister Jinny Sims, Johal backed down and withdrew his remarks in the legislature.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jl201xyhmtj7wae/2019-03-26%20Sims%20in%20hansard.mp4?dl=0>

BC NDP MLA Jagrup Brar said Johal is misleading people in Surrey.

“It’s shameful that Jas Johal is saying one thing to our community on the radio, and saying the opposite just two hours later in the legislature,” says Brar. “He insisted his offensive remarks were ok, even though he knows they weren’t. Why isn’t he telling people in Surrey the truth?”

Brar says that Johal is spending more time misleading people in Surrey than advocating for his own community.

“Mr. Johal should spend less time spreading misinformation in Surrey and more time looking after his own constituents,” says Brar. “The BC Liberals ignored our community for years, and that’s why people rejected them. With Premier John Horgan, we’re delivering for Surrey by eliminating tolls, fast tracking new schools, and adding a new urgent care centre so people get healthcare faster.”

Johal, who represents Richmond-Queensborough, was speaking during oral question period about the issue of changes to the agricultural land reserve when he directed his comments to NDP members from Surrey, calling them Chamchas.

What is a chamcha?

The word chamcha is an informal slang which may mean “sycophant,” but is used colloquially to call someone a “puppet” or “suck-up.”