NEW DELHI: Lukewarm response to targeted Hindu killings in Jammu & Kashmir and handling of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala’s killing has upset several Congress leaders, who feel that the party has repeatedly failed to hit the ground, take up important issues to connect with the people and are not sync with party's revival plan discussed at the Udaipur session.
A Punjab Congress leader said that none of the top Congress leaders attended cremation of Moosewala. However, BJP that is trying to expand its footprint in the state, was quick by arranging a meeting of union home minister Amit Shah with his parents. Punjab incharge Harish Chaudhary, PCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and some party MLAs were seen alongside Moosewala’s family on the tractor-trailer during the funeral procession.
“It is only today that Sachin Pilot met his parents and former party chief Rahul Gandhi will be meeting them Tuesday. His killing is a very sentimental issue for the people of Punjab and the party should have handled it better. The Punjab Congress held protests in the states but presence of top leadership is what makes a difference as he contested assembly election on the party ticket,” said the leader.
Citing recent incidents of targeted Hindu killings in J&K, a senior party leader said that the party’s response has been lukewarm and this is the time when BJP government’s handling of matters related to the Kashmir valley needs to be exposed and talked about. The party held a press conference in Delhi which was addressed by Vivek Tankha, who is a Kashmiri Pandit. However, the party could not get veteran leader and former J&K CM Ghulam Nabi Azad to talk about the matter from the party forum.
“During Udaipur session, there was a detailed discussion on the need to reconnect and reach out to people and take up important issues that concern the masses. However, the party continues to follow social media activism where leaders express their anguish and concern through social media posts and nothing can be seen on the ground,” said another party leader.
Another leader cited the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) protest at Jantar Mantar on Sunday against killings in J&K and how the Congress is slowly leaving space for it in several states.