Decades after 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Delhi Congress on Sunday held a ‘Pratigya Rally”, under the “Jawab do, Hisaab do” campaign  in Tilak Nagar chowk, Delhi, in an attempt to regain lost political ground. The area was hit by violence during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and this was the party’s first major political rally at the spot since 1984.

“It was matter of great pride for Delhi Congress that the historic rally, attended by thousands of people, including a large number of Sikh and Punjabi residents, was organised at Tilak Nagar in West Delhi after a gap of 35 years. Women, youth, people from the rural areas and Poorvanchalis also attended the rally in huge numbers. Enthusiastic Congress workers raised slogans like “Jai Congress-Vijay Congress”, “Congress Ko Laoge-Dilli Ko Bachayenge”, “Baajpa Harao-Dilli Bachao”, “Nafrath Nahi, Mohabath Chahiye-Ab Desh Ko Rahul Gandhi Chahiye”, etc,” Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely said.

Hundreds of Congress workers, who had assembled at Tilak Nagar Chowk, accorded a warm reception to the Congress leaders that it took them quite some time  to reach the rally venue at Tilak Nagar, resulting in traffic jams from Jail Road, Najafgarh Road to Raja Garden. The presence of a huge number of Sikh and Punjabi community people at Jail Road was a heart-warming sight for the Delhi Congress leaders. The Sikh community honoured Arvinder Singh Lovely, Subhash Chopra and Mukesh Sharma by presenting them with “Saropa” (sword).

Addressing a gathering, Lovely slammed the BJP MPs in Delhi for neglecting their parliamentary constituencies. Lovely said that Rs 5080 crore have been collected from shopkeepers in the name of conversion and parking charges, including Rs 623.48 crore from West Zone and Rs 77.08 crore from Najafgarh Zone, but the MCD has not done any work for which the money had been collected. He said that parking shortage was a major issue in Delhi, for which the BJP was responsible.

 He said Lovely said that had the Congress Government not passed the “Protection Act 2006” during the sealing drive, over 30 lakh shopkeepers would been rendered unemployed.

Former Delhi Congress president Subhash Chopra, Raj Kumar Chauhan, Mukesh Sharma, Jai Kishan and Mangat Ram Singhal addressed the gathering.