Fissures in Congress during price rise protest

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 7

Ahead of the announcement of the new PCC chief, fissures in the Punjab Congress were out in the open once again on Thursday as former state president Navjot Singh Sidhu faced the ire of Punjab Youth Congress chief Barinder Dhillon for not naming and shaming party leaders involved in corruption during a protest at Punjab Congress Bhavan here.

The protest had been organised by the Punjab Congress against the hike in petrol and diesel prices in the recent past. Several leaders at the dharna called it “sheer indiscipline”, saying differences should be sorted out at internal meetings.

Before the situation could turn unsavoury, the dharna was lifted and a planned march was called off. Besides AICC secretary Chetan Chauhan, party leaders Partap Bajwa, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Barindermeet Singh Pahra, Pargat Singh and a number of former MLAs were present.

Speaking at the event, Sidhu raised the issue of attacks on party workers and pointed out he would stand by honest leaders and not those involved in corruption. In what appeared to be reference to former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, the former PCC chief said he stood by honest leaders and workers. Dhillon objected to Sidhu for not naming “tainted” leaders and an argument ensued. Amid the commotion, other leaders sitting alongside started disbursing.

A senior leader said in the past few days, Sidhu had been meeting former party MLAs, giving the impression that party leaders wanted him to have a second run as the PCC chief. Another lobby of leaders, including some of the sitting MLAs, did not want Sidhu to run for another term, he added. Former minister Sukhjinder Randhawa said it was “sheer indiscipline” that argument happened between former PCC president and Punjab Youth Congress leader. “It was unfortunate that workers started leaving the dharna site when Sidhu was speaking,” said Randhawa.

Earlier, party MLA Partap Bajwa said rather than passing the benefit of low oil prices in the previous years, the Centre continuously tinkered with the taxation framework on fuel, to paper over the cracks in the Indian economy. The windfall had come at the cost of the public.

Exercise restraint in public: Pargat Singh to partymen

Jalandhar: Reacting to the Sidhu-Dhillon spat, Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh said: “After the poll loss, everyone in the party has become assertive and vocal. The party is at such a juncture that everyone wants to project himself, but there are other platforms for such issues. Any such off-the-track discussion should have been avoided.” He said the new PCC chief and LoP must be on the same wavelength to lead the party. tns

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