Chandigarh, April 22, 2022 (Kulbir Kalsi)
The newly elected Punjab Congress Committee president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring today spelt out his ‘three-dimensional’ mantra for strengthening the party, with “discipline, dedication and dialogue”. He also said that it will be a team effort and not the exclusive agenda of one particular individual.
The PCC president also lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party government in the state, saying, in the first month the party government had much more to be shameful about than to feel proud about anything, like resorting to political vendetta and misusing police to settle personal scores.
Addressing his maiden press conference after taking charge as the ‘youngest’ ever Punjab Congress Committee president here today, Warring asserted that discipline was of paramount importance for the party to succeed. He said, while the Congress party gave complete freedom to leaders and workers to work, at the same time, it is the responsibility of everyone to ensure that the discipline is not broken and the party interests are not harmed.
While revealing his roadmap for reviving and strengthening the party in coming time, he expressed his gratitude to the Congress President Ms Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for reposing confidence in him. At the same time, he was grateful to thousands of party workers and supporters without whose support, he said, it would not have been possible to reach this position.
He recalled his political journey from a grassroots level worker when he used to paste posters during the Magi Mela in Muktsar, his ancestral town, where he used to live with his grandparents as he had lost his parents in early childhood.
Since then, he added, he has handled the responsibilities at block, district, state and national level in various capacities including the president of the Indian Youth Congress and now, the president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. He was modest in admitting that while he did aspire to be the PCC president, he never expected to be appointed to the post so soon.
Replying to a question on AAP government’s performance, he said, although one month was too short a period to judge it, but the way it has resorted to political vendetta and dictations from Delhi had already led to people feeling disillusioned. He specifically mentioned the cases registered against Congress leader Ms Alka Lamba and renowned poet Dr Kumar Vishwas, just because they were politically opposed to him.
The PCC president also condemned the BJP government in Assam for arresting Congress MLA from Gujarat on the same pretext the AAP government in Punjab had booked Ms Lamba and Vishwas. He said, if need be, he will be accompanying Ms Lamba to Ropar Police Station where she has been summoned on April 26.
Questioning the “surprising silence” of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on SYL, Warring took the AAP to task for its dubious intentions about the SYL. He said, since AAP had already won Punjab it was no longer bothered about Punjabis and their interests. “Now in order to allure the voters of Haryana, the AAP might force the Punjab government to provide water to Haryana, which the Congress party will never allow to happen”, he warned.
Acknowledging the love and affection of the party’s rank and file, a confident PCC president said he was touched and overwhelmed by the presence of senior leaders and workers. “This has provided me extra energy and I promise to each one of my leaders and workers that I will ensure that I come to the best of your expectations”, he said.
To a question on the party’s defeat, the PCC President said, no particular leader can be singled out for the defeat, as it was the collective responsibility of everyone. “We have already moved ahead and we are looking forward to the future and meeting each and every challenge together with confidence”, he remarked.
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