Congress rolls out 'Punjab Mangda Insaaf' campaign ahead of state polls

Chandigarh: The Punjab Congress on Wednesday rolled out its 'Punjab Mangda Insaaf' campaign to reach out to every section of society and raise their concerns effectively ahead of next year's state polls.

Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, launched the campaign at the party headquarters here.

The campaign is aimed at connecting with the people of the state and raising issues concerning farmers, youth, drugs, law and order and other public matters, the party said.


Also Read | BJP accuses AAP of protecting 'paper leak mafia' over Punjab PCS Mains results

Singh said the Congress would reach every village, city and neighbourhood to not only seek accountability for the "injustice" done to Punjab but also present a roadmap for its future.

To transform the campaign into a mass movement, Congress leaders and workers would reach out to people directly through cycle/bus rallies and foot marches, he said.

Speaking to reporters, Bajwa said that under the campaign, the Punjab Congress leadership will visit different parts of the state and raise issues concerning all sections of society.

"We will speak about the fraud with government employees and pensioners by the AAP government, non-implementation of the old pension scheme, law and order and the poor financial health of the state," he said.

Claiming that the AAP government has failed on all fronts, Bajwa said, "Arvind Kejriwal promised Rs 54,000 crore funds per annum for setting up colleges, medical colleges and new infrastructure, including roads and bridges. But not even a single penny was given. We will ask Kejriwal where that money went," Bajwa said.

"The AAP did nothing for farmers, women or traders," he claimed.

Also Read | "Let them lose security deposits": Punjab CM Mann targets Rahul Gandhi ahead of Sangrur rally

Asked about Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi's cycle yatra scheduled for Thursday, Bajwa said it is also part of the 'Mangda Insaaf' campaign.

"Channi saab is our brother. Our message will reach the people of Punjab through his programme. We will do it together. We all will be there for the cycle yatra tomorrow," he said.

"Different programmes have been planned for Majha, Malwa and Doaba regions, with a common aim to reach out to maximum people," the LoP said.

"The message needs to be clear. Which party fights for 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan'? Which party can bring peace to Punjab and save its youth?" Bajwa said.

Channi, the chairman of Congress' campaign committee, has announced a 'Jawani Sambhal, Jatta' cycle rally to reach out to people across Assembly segments.

Singh said senior leaders and party workers would conduct outreach programmes in different regions to make people aware of the issues facing Punjab.

"They would raise a fundamental question before the public: Who should be held accountable for the injustice done to Punjab?

"The government is answerable on issues such as drugs, deteriorating law and order, unemployment, corruption and other matters of public concern," he said.

Singh added that the Congress is not just seeking to expose the failures of the AAP government but also aims to develop a clear vision to put Punjab back on the path of progress and prosperity.

"For this, extensive consultations would be held with intellectuals, academicians, experts, industrialists, farmers, labourers, traders, youth, women and social organisations," Singh said.

Stressing that the Congress does not want to leave any section of society out of the dialogues, he said every section would be asked how it envisions the future of Punjab and what suggestions it has for resolving the state's problems.

"A comprehensive development roadmap would be prepared by taking expert opinions and citizen experiences into the account," he said.

The senior leader also said that the future of Punjab is not the exclusive concern of the Congress or its leaders.

"Every citizen of Punjab is a stakeholder in the state's future. Farmers, labourers, traders, industrialists, youth, women and intellectuals have an equal right to express their views on which direction Punjab should take," Singh said.