Amid the controversy over allegations of caste-based abuse and assault against him, Congress leader Barinder Singh Dhillon on Friday visited Gurdwara Katalgarh Sahib in the Chamkaur Sahib area of Ropar district. He took an oath that he had not used a casteist slur against fellow Congress leader Ranjeet Singh Tarkhan Majra.Dhillon said those levelling allegations against him should also visit the gurdwara and take an oath to establish the truth of their claims. He alleged that certain vested interests were running a campaign to tarnish his political image ahead of the Punjab Assembly election.The development comes days after Dalit organisations staged protests in Ropar and Chamkaur Sahib on October 28, demanding action against Dhillon over the alleged use of caste-based remarks against Tarkhan Majra during an altercation at the Punjab Congress headquarters in Chandigarh.The controversy has since escalated, with AAP also targeting the Congress leadership and demanding action against Dhillon.Ranjeet Singh Tarkhan Majra is a former secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) and a special invitee of the Punjab Congress SC Cell. He belongs to Tarkhan Majra village in Fatehgarh Sahib district and has been associated with the Congress for nearly three decades.According to his complaint filed with the Chandigarh Police, the incident took place on October 27 at Congress Bhawan in Sector 15, Chandigarh, when he had visited the party headquarters with his son, Rajanpreet Singh, for party-related work.Tarkhan Majra alleged that Dhillon and another unidentified person passed caste-based derogatory remarks against him. When he objected, Dhillon allegedly slapped and assaulted him and also threatened to kill him.The Chandigarh Police registered an FIR against Dhillon on November 4 at the Sector 11 police station under Sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 126(2) (wrongful restraint) of the BNS.The controversy had also reached the Congress leadership, which issued a show-cause notice to Dhillon through the party’s disciplinary action committee chairman, Avtar Henry. The notice sought an explanation from Dhillon within three days.On October 28, Dalit organisations staged demonstrations in Ropar and Chamkaur Sahib, demanding action against Dhillon. The protests brought the controversy into the political spotlight in the district.AAP subsequently staged a protest outside Congress Bhawan in Chandigarh on November 4, demanding action against Dhillon.The controversy has acquired political significance in Ropar district, particularly as Dhillon is considered an aspirant for the Congress ticket from the Ropar Assembly constituency.Dhillon’s visit to Katalgarh Sahib and his challenge to the complainant to take a similar oath have added another dimension to the controversy.