Congress Must Clarify Whether Considering a Person Linked to the 1984 Anti-Sikh Massacre as a Role Model Is the Party’s Official Position: Dhaliwal
Amritsar/Chandigarh (PEN Newws): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab senior leader and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal strongly condemned Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda’s statement calling Sajjan Kumar his role model. He said that the wounds of the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre are still alive in the hearts of Sikhs, and at such a time, a statement calling a person linked to the massacre of Sikhs an ideal is deeply hurtful to the sentiments of the entire Sikh community.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Dhaliwal said that if a senior Congress leader calls Sajjan Kumar his role model, it raises serious questions about the mindset and politics of the Congress party. He asked the Congress high command whether Deepender Hooda’s statement represents the official position of the party. He demanded that Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge take immediate action over the statement and show Deepender Hooda the door from the party.
He also targeted Punjab Congress leaders and said that the silence of senior Punjab Congress leaders after Deepender Hooda’s statement was extremely unfortunate. He said that Punjab Congress leaders, including Partap Singh Bajwa, Pargat Singh, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Charanjit Singh Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Gurjit Singh Aujla and Dr. Amar Singh, should clearly state whether they agree with the statement or not.
Dhaliwal said that leaders who make tall claims on Punjab and Sikh issues remaining silent on this matter expose their double standards. He told Punjab Congress leaders that if their conscience allows them to stand with Sikhs, they should openly demand action against Deepender Hooda. He said that Congress must make its position clear and tell the people of Punjab whether it stands with the Sikh families who were victims of the 1984 violence or with leaders making such statements.
Dhaliwal said that the Sikh community can never forget Operation Blue Star, the attack on Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the anti-Sikh violent incidents that took place in Delhi, Kanpur and other parts of the country in 1984. He said that such repeated statements by Congress leaders amount to rubbing salt into the wounds of the Sikh community.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s proposed visit to Punjab and Amritsar, Dhaliwal said that before coming to the land of Punjab, the Congress leadership must clarify its position on this matter. He said that with what face will Rahul Gandhi seek votes from the people of Punjab and Sikh voters when a senior leader of his party calls a person linked to the anti-Sikh violence of 1984 his role model? He said that the first action should be taken against Deepender Hooda’s statement, and only after that should the Congress leadership come before the people of Punjab and clarify its position.
Dhaliwal also questioned the statements made by Shiromani Akali Dal leaders Bikram Singh Majithia and MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal regarding an alliance between the BJP and Akali Dal. He said that for several years, the Akali Dal had accused national parties of weakening Punjab’s rights and had claimed that it would not enter into an alliance with any Delhi-based national party. Now, if there is talk of an alliance with the BJP, the Akali leadership should explain its basis and reasons before the people of Punjab.
Referring to the references to Operation Blue Star in senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani’s book My Country, My Life, Dhaliwal asked the Akali leadership what answer it would give to Punjab regarding this political and historical legacy while entering into an alliance with the BJP.
Dhaliwal also questioned the role of the Akali Dal during the farmers’ agitation. He said that at the time of the farm laws, Harsimrat Kaur Badal was a minister in the Central government and later resigned from the Union Council of Ministers under pressure from the farmers. He asked that if the Akali Dal once again stands with the BJP today, what answer will it give to the farmers of Punjab?
Dhaliwal also demanded that the Akali leadership clarify its position on the proposed India-US trade framework by the Centre. He said that Punjab is an agriculture-based state and on any international trade agreement related to the interests of farmers, political parties in Punjab must put their clear policy before the public. He alleged that if such policies prove harmful to the agriculture sector and the interests of farmers, the Akali Dal will have to answer the farmers of Punjab before entering into an alliance with the BJP. He said that the people of Punjab will never accept such political alliances.
Dhaliwal said that no matter how many political alliances the BJP and Akali Dal enter into, the Aam Aadmi Party will continue to stand firmly on Punjab’s issues. He said that the people of Punjab now understand the old political alliances and politics of power, and in the coming elections, the public will make its decision based on its own interests. He claimed that due to the development works and public welfare initiatives being undertaken in Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, no alliance of the opposition parties would make any difference to the Aam Aadmi Party.
