CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh said the 'Insaaf Rally' to be held in Sangrur on November 4 would serve as a decisive platform in the fight for Punjab’s rights, justice and future. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will address the rally, which is expected to draw more than one lakh people from across Punjab.
He said that over the past four-and-a-half years, the government had remained silent on issues affecting farmers, young people and ordinary citizens, despite being accountable to the public.
The Congress, he said, would now forcefully raise questions concerning law and order, drugs, unemployment, paddy procurement, sacrilege cases and Punjab’s rights.
Launching a sharp attack on the Bhagwant Mann government, Pargat Singh said the situation in Punjab was becoming increasingly worrying. He alleged that the government had failed to resolve people’s problems and that, instead of listening to public concerns, its handling of the system was steadily eroding the confidence of ordinary citizens.
He said he had already warned in the Punjab Assembly that the Aam Aadmi Party government was turning Punjab into a ‘police state’. Today, he alleged, the morale of the police and civil administration was low, while public confidence in the police was weakening.
He further said that the BJP had weakened the natural functioning of democratic institutions at the national level, while the Aam Aadmi Party was doing the same in Punjab.
On paddy procurement, Singh said farmers in Punjab were struggling to sell their crops, but the government had failed to offer any concrete solution. Raising questions about paddy prices and the fair remuneration farmers receive, he asked why Punjab’s farmers were not being assured fair prices and timely procurement when better prices were being discussed in other states.
Farmers, he said, needed more than assurances: they needed smooth procurement in mandis and the full value of their hard work. The government’s silence, he added, was worsening their difficulties.
Speaking about sacrilege cases, Singh said the people of Punjab had expected justice in these sensitive matters, but the transfer of cases outside the state had raised several questions.
He also sought clear answers from the government on issues linked to Section 79(1) of the Dam Safety Act and Punjab’s interests in the matter of water being supplied to Rajasthan.
He said legal proceedings concerning river-water disputes under Articles 78, 79 and 80 were ongoing, making it essential for the government to present Punjab’s case seriously and protect the state’s water resources and rights. Formal statements alone, he said, would not safeguard Punjab’s interests.
Questioning the law-and-order situation, Singh referred to cases involving Parminder Singh Jhota and Gulzar Singh. He said questions arising over police investigations and conclusions in recent incidents must be answered transparently.
Referring to the murder of Sidhu Moosewala, he said that when the investigation into such a major case had taken years, it was natural for questions to arise about the basis and credibility of reaching a murder conclusion in another incident within just two hours.
He stressed that every case must be investigated impartially, supported by solid evidence and handled in accordance with the law. The police, he said, should inspire public confidence rather than deepen suspicion.
Singh said the actual scale of Punjab’s drug problem was no secret. The future of young people in villages and cities was at stake, while unemployment continued to cause widespread distress among the youth.
Questioning the government’s approach, he said its failure to visit Parminder Singh Jhota’s family to offer condolences also raised concerns about its attitude. He appealed to media organisations to give priority to Punjab’s real issues, particularly unemployment, drugs and law and order.
Punjab, he said, must be prevented from moving towards a situation in which the rule of law weakens and ordinary citizens feel unsafe.
Responding to a question about the possibility of the Model Code of Conduct coming into force soon, Singh said that imposing the code alone would not resolve the systemic problems.
The real need, he said, was to restore public confidence in the police and administration, fix accountability and ensure that the system functioned according to established rules. He asserted that if the Congress formed the government, every task in Punjab would be carried out in accordance with the system, and no one would be allowed to act arbitrarily.
On the proposal of cultivating poppy for controlling synthetic drugs, Singh said any decision on the issue must be taken under the supervision of an expert committee and within a strict regulatory framework.
The objective of any policy, he said, must be to reduce the drug problem rather than create a new crisis that could increase the availability of intoxicating substances. Scientific study, expert advice and effective monitoring were essential, he added.
Concluding his remarks, Singh appealed to the people of Punjab to unite and contribute towards saving the state. He said the November 4 ‘Insaaf Rally’ in Sangrur would be more than a political event; it would be a voice for Punjab’s rights, farmers’ concerns, the future of its youth and the people’s demand for justice.
Punjab needs accountable governance to overcome the crises of drugs, unemployment and deteriorating law and order, he said. Under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, the Congress would raise people’s concerns forcefully and continue its struggle to protect Punjab’s rights and dignity.