Amid row over Sidhu's appointment, Manish Tewari tweets a reminder: ‘Punjab is secular’
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 16
Amid acute and visible anxieties over probable changes at the very top in Punjab Congress organisation, party’s MP from Anandpur Saheb Manish Tewari on Friday posted a reminder to the high command saying “Punjab is both progressive and secular.”
Tewari posted the demographic details of Punjab’s dominant communities, seeking to urge the top leadership to keep the non-Jat Sikh class in mind when effecting a change in an election year.
There has been strong buzz around possible elevation of former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu as the party’s state president but Congress chief Sonia Gandhi hasn’t yet spoken the final word on the matter.
“We are working on a formula for both CM Capt Amarinder Singh and Sidhu to work together. We will go into elections under the CM. As for Sidhu, a formulation is being drafted. Congress President is yet to approve it,” AICC general secretary Punjab Harish Rawat said again today.
On a categorical query about whether Sidhu (who is from the same community as the CM), would be state chief Rawat said, “Who has said that? All I said was it would be something nearer to that. Working presidents will also be appointed.”
Tewari meantime posted on Twitter the
Demographics of Punjab:
1. Sikhs : 57.75 %
2. Hindus : 38.49%
3. Dalits : 31:94 % (Sikh&Hindus)
Punjab is both progressive & SECULAR.
ਹਿੰਦੂ ਤੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਦਾ ਨਹੁੰ-ਮਾਸ ਦਾ ਰਿਸ਼ਤਾ ਹੈ!
BUT
balancing SOCIAL INTEREST GROUPs is key
बराबरी सामाजिक न्याय की बुनियाद है!
EQUALITY pic.twitter.com/mKddV4TYOR
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) July 16, 2021
“Demographics of Punjab” noting, “1. Sikhs : 57.75 %,
2. Hindus : 38.49%, 3. Dalits : 31:94 % (Sikh&Hindus).
Punjab is both progressive & SECULAR.”
Friday is expected to see hectic political activity around the PCC revamp with the CM yesterday expressing his displeasure to the party high command over rumoured elevation of Sidhu, and Sidhu meeting with anti Capt leaders in Chandigarh in a parallel show of strength.
Sonia Gandhi faces an uphill task of balancing the two forces that are already pulling in different directions.
So far, it appears that the deliberative exercise the Congress conducted with a view to forge unity in the state has ended up further disuniting people.
Meantime rivals Akali Dal and BSP have announced they would appoint two deputy chief ministers — a Hindu and a Dalit — if voted to power.
The Congress continues parleys to appoint a new state chief.
