With the Punjab Assembly elections round the corner, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes directive to arrest Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring for allegedly making derogatory remarks against late former Union Home Minister Buta Singh has come as a double whammy for the party.Warring was already facing an internal feud, with senior leaders opposing the party high command’s decision to retain him as the state unit chief. Now, party leaders fear the commission’s directive could arm the BJP to build an anti-Dalit narrative against the Congress. Warring’s detractors pointed out that his remarks had dented the Valmiki vote bank during the Tarn Taran bypoll last year. They noted that these alleged anti-Dalit remarks could be played up by the BJP, which is trying to make inroads in Punjab. They also point out that the commission’s directive came at a time when the party high command was making efforts to bring all warring factions on board ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s proposed Punjab tour.