Farmers Movement Archive

My doors are open, don’t air grievances in public: Rawat to Punjab Cong leaders

Chandigarh All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat on Monday advised the party MLAs not to air their grievances in public, saying his doors are open for everyone. Rawat, who is on his first visit to the state after being given the charge of party affairs in Punjab, gave the advice in the meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) here. Rawat told MLAs that he does not want to be caught by surprise, and they should call or SMS him if they have some grievance or views on any particular issue instead of going public. “I am accessible to everyone even at midnight. And, solutions can be found on the party platform,” he said. The state in-charge’s statement holds significance as the rumblings of discontent within the state unit have grown in recent months, with two Rajya Sabha MPs Partap Singh Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo, both former state unit chiefs, publicly criticising the chief minister and his decisions. Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar were also present. Rawat, a former CM of Uttarakhand and five-time MP, also asked Amarinder to tell the ministers to go to party offices to meet the people and party workers and solve their problems instead of just interacting with them at their residences. “This will help strengthen the party. It is the party that contests the elections,” he said. The ministers and MLAs were also told to reach out to people on the farm laws, “destruction of federal structure” and refusal and non-release of GST compensation. When Jalandhar Cantonment legislator Pargat Singh urged Rawat to give time to MLAs, Rawat said he has come to meet them. The AICC general secretary met 16-17 party legislators who called on him individually or with delegations from their constituencies on Monday. The MLAs told Rawat that there was need for unity in the party, according to sources. When contacted, Jakhar said his meetings are being lined up with party MLAs on Tuesday as well and he will also be a part of the chief minister’s meeting with representatives of farmer unions on the three contentious farm laws in the morning.

Hindustan Times

28-09-2020

City