Chandigarh, October 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Senior Punjab Congress leader Sardar Pargat Singh said the ‘Insaaf Rally’ scheduled to be held in Sangrur on November 4 would mark a significant step in the struggle for Punjab’s rights, justice and future. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, will address the rally, which is expected to attract more than one lakh people from across the state.
Pargat Singh said that over the past four-and-a-half years, Punjab had received neither justice nor relief from the drug menace, while farmers continued to face mounting difficulties. He alleged that the government had remained silent on issues affecting farmers, young people and ordinary citizens, despite being accountable to the public. The Congress, he said, would raise questions forcefully on law and order, drugs, unemployment, paddy procurement, sacrilege cases and Punjab’s rights.
Launching a sharp attack on the Bhagwant Mann-led government, Pargat Singh described the situation in Punjab as increasingly worrying. He alleged that the government had failed to address public grievances and that its handling of the administration was steadily eroding public confidence. He said he had warned in the Punjab Assembly that the Aam Aadmi Party government was turning the state into a ‘police state’.
According to Pargat Singh, the morale of the police and civil administration had declined, while public confidence in the police was also weakening. He alleged that just as the BJP had weakened the natural functioning of democratic institutions at the national level, the Aam Aadmi Party was doing the same in Punjab.
On paddy procurement, Pargat Singh said farmers were struggling to sell their crops, but the government had failed to provide a concrete solution. Raising questions about paddy prices and fair remuneration, he asked why Punjab’s farmers were not being assured fair prices and timely procurement when better prices were being discussed in other states.
Farmers needed more than assurances, he said, stressing the need for smooth procurement in mandis and fair returns for their hard work. The government’s silence, he added, was further aggravating their difficulties.
On sacrilege cases, Pargat Singh said the people of Punjab had expected justice in these sensitive matters, but the transfer of cases outside the state had raised several questions. He also sought clarity from the government on issues concerning Section 79(1) of the Dam Safety Act and Punjab’s interests in the supply of water to Rajasthan.
He said legal proceedings concerning river-water disputes under Articles 78, 79 and 80 were ongoing, making it essential for the government to present Punjab’s case seriously and protect the state’s water resources and rights. Formal statements alone, he added, would not safeguard Punjab’s interests.
Questioning the state’s law-and-order situation, Pargat Singh referred to cases involving Parminder Singh Jhota and Gulzar Singh. He said questions surrounding police investigations and the conclusions reached in recent incidents needed transparent answers.
Referring to the murder of Sidhu Moosewala, Pargat Singh said that when the investigation into such a major case had taken years, questions naturally arose about the basis and credibility of reaching a conclusion about a murder in another incident within just two hours.
He stressed that every case must be investigated impartially, supported by solid evidence and handled in accordance with the law. The police, he said, should inspire public confidence rather than deepen suspicion.
Pargat Singh said the scale of Punjab’s drug problem was well known and that the future of young people in villages and cities was at stake. Unemployment, he added, continued to cause widespread distress among the youth.
Questioning the government’s approach, he said its failure to visit Parminder Singh Jhota’s family to offer condolences had also raised concerns about its attitude. He appealed to media organisations to give priority to Punjab’s pressing issues, particularly unemployment, drugs and law and order.
Punjab, he said, must be prevented from reaching a situation in which the rule of law weakens and ordinary citizens feel unsafe.
Responding to a question about the possibility of the Model Code of Conduct coming into force soon, Pargat Singh said that imposing the code alone would not resolve the state’s systemic problems. The priority, he said, should be to restore public confidence in the police and administration, establish accountability and ensure that the system operates according to established rules.
He asserted that if the Congress formed the government, every task in Punjab would be carried out in accordance with the system, and no one would be allowed to act arbitrarily.
On the proposal to cultivate poppy as a means of controlling synthetic drugs, Pargat Singh said any decision must be taken under the supervision of an expert committee and within a strict regulatory framework.
He said the objective of any such policy should be to reduce the drug problem rather than create a new crisis that could increase the availability of intoxicating substances. Scientific study, expert advice and effective monitoring would be essential, he added.
Concluding his remarks, Pargat Singh appealed to the people of Punjab to unite and work towards saving the state. He said the November 4 Insaaf Rally in Sangrur would be more than a political event, serving as a platform for Punjab’s rights, farmers’ concerns, the future of its youth and the public demand for justice.
Punjab needs accountable governance to overcome the challenges of drugs, unemployment and deteriorating law and order, he said. Under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, the Congress would forcefully raise people’s concerns and continue its struggle to protect Punjab’s rights and dignity.
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