Hitting out at recent statements of some ‘senior’ party leaders against the Congress leadership, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Sunil Jakhar on Sunday castigated them for indulging in politics of opportunities “that too at a time when every Congress worker is fighting the grave battle to save and preserve the idea of India under assault from oppressive central regime”.
Those raising their voice against “reforms” in an organization, which gave them the most potent platform to evolve as leaders, are today doing a great disservice not only to the party but also to the country, Punjab Congress chief said in a hard-hitting statement.
Pointing out that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had led the struggle against draconian anti-farmer legislations from Punjab, Jakhar reminded them while inviting them to “come and join the politics of struggle for the common man when Punjab Congress leads a protest march to gherao the Governor against the spiraling prices of essential commodities”.
“Come and join me in the protest which would be a refresher course for you all in raising the voice of the people we serve far away from the cosy environs of Rajya Sabha galleries,” Jakhar quipped.
On being asked about Kapil Sibal, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Raj Babbar, and Anand Sharma’s fresh statements, Punjab Congress president said that the country is passing through a challenging times when the Modi regime is crippling people of all sections of society with its destructive policies to help few corporates.
“To counter this oppression, the country needs Congress to engage in politics of struggle to raise the voice of common man on the street,” Jakhar said, urging all these senior leaders to take up issues of the public.
Disagreeing with Babbar’s ‘Hum hi Congress hain’ comment, Jakhar underlined that the “Congress party is older than you and me” and its core philosophy has consistently been of public service only.
“No doubt, you are Congress…But such comments do not behove a senior leader like you,” Jakhar said to Babbar.
On Ghulam Nabi Azad’s statement that he has retired from Rajya Sabha and not from active politics, Jakhar said that retiring from the upper house never means retiring from politics at all and rather politics has begun now.
Responding to Sibal’s statement about the need to further strengthen the party, Punjab Congress chief invited him to come and join him to work for the people in the streets to make the party and country stronger.
Jakhar pointed out that the Punjab Congress would be gheraoing Punjab Governor on March 1 to raise the voice of people against skyrocketing prices of essential commodities.
Inviting all these senior leaders to be a part of this protest march, Jakhar said that they are cordially welcome to come and raise concerns of the public over the atrocious spike in prices of LPG, petrol and diesel.
“This is the time to come amongst the people,” he said while hoping that all these leaders would now come forward to do this politics of struggle also.