Akalis still ruling the roost: Congmen to Jakhar

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 9

As PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar today began a series of workers’ meetings to redress their grievances, the party’s block presidents, zila parishad and block samiti members, sarpanches and councillors came out openly against Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh over his “weak stand on various issues”.

Most workers said they were getting a feeling as if not the Congress, but the Akali government was in power. They warned the party chief that if the situation continued, their party could no way think of winning in 2022.

Congress councillor Mandeep Jassal said, “Our biggest failure is that we have not been able to replace the blue cards that carry the picture of former CM Parkash Singh Badal. These are still being used for public distribution of subsidised ration. Smart cards are yet to reach most beneficiaries. Besides, we have filled forms of new beneficiaries three-four times, but their names are yet to be added. The worst is that the Food and Civil Supplies Department has yet not deleted the names of ineligible beneficiaries whom the Akalis got added.”

As workers kept repeating this issue, Jakhar, too, took a jibe against his own government. “It seems our smart card scheme has become just like the GST scheme of the Centre.” Their most common grudge was that they were not getting due importance from the police and civil officers. Former councillor Vijay Dakoha said, “Even the MC staffers are not taking our calls. The cops are still entertaining men with blue turbans (Akalis) while ignoring us completely.”

Congress Sewa Dal (Rural) president Rana said, “When we go to a police station with people’s problems, the cops tell us to come through the MLA. What is the use of setting up party cells when we cannot even get due respect?.”

Party worker Surjit Singh said, “Our government has still not been able to act against the Delhi airport-bound Indo Canadian Transport Company buses run by the Badals. It is a tourist bus and is being allowed to act as a state carrier at the cost Punjab Roadways. Our party too has leaders who are in the transport business. At least they should come forward to give some competition to the Badal-owned transport.”

“Our MLA Laddi Sherowalia listens to our problems but one issue which he has not been able to redress is of illegal mining. The sites are being excavated by the contractors whose trolleys are plying through our roads and causing a lot of damage and traffic nuisance on a daily basis,” said Kulbir Singh, a Shahkot-based worker.

Somnath Somi, a worker from Chugitti area, said, “Why is Captain Amarinder playing a friendly match with the rivals? His schemes like Ghar Ghar Naukri should be changed to ‘ath ghar chhad ke naukri (job for the youth of the eighth house)’.” Harbhupinder Singh, panch of Samrai village, pleaded, “We made too many promises to come to power, including punishments for sacrilege accused, but nothing has happened.”