Chandigarh: All is not well within Punjab Congress as former state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar has expressed his grievance openly, saying the party has forgotten him, indirectly pointing to the 'incapability' of the newly-appointed state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. Directly questioning the party's high command's decision on the appointment of Sidhu as the Punjab Congress chief, Jakhar said that the person who was trying to patch up the rift between Captain Amarinder Singh and Sidhu was forgotten by the Congress party.
"In Congress, it has become a tradition that if someone gets upset, then people go to their home to persuade them. But today, who did you hand over the keys to? Today, you forgot Sunil Jakhar," he said. Rahul Gandhi tried to settle the crisis in Punjab but it seems another simmering tension is brewing which may harm the party's prospects in the 2022 state Assembly elections. Jakhar said the route to the national revival of the Congress party goes via Punjab and the road to Punjab Congress' return to power goes via Kot Kapura and Behbal Kalan. He was referring to the incidents when two youths were killed in the police firing at Behbal Kalan on October 14, 2015, while protesting against the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib at Bargari on October 12. Police had also opened fire on protesters at Kot Kapura, leaving many injured, the same day.
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Speaking at the Congress ceremony to commemorate the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the new state party chief, Jakhar said, "The whole of Punjab came out in protest of the farm laws," hinting that the Congress directed the farmers to protest at the Delhi borders. "At that time, had there been any chief minister other than Captain Amarinder Singh, the protests being held against the BJP today would have been against us (Punjab government and the Congress). He (Amarinder Singh) handled them brilliantly and sent them there (Delhi border)."
Meanwhile, farmers were permitted to protest at Jantar Mantar with their daily numbers not exceeding 200 people for Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and six persons for Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) from 11 am to 5 pm daily.
Earlier on Thursday, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait reached Jantar Mantar as farmers began their protest against farm laws. Tikait had earlier said the farmers will hold their own Parliament sessions at Jantar Mantar. Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws. So far, several rounds of talks have been held between the Centre and farmer leaders to break the deadlock between the two parties.
(ANI)
