Jakhar, Raninder lash out at BJP for its communally divisive policies, say only Congress can ensure peace & stability

Pathankot, October 8, 2017: Punjab Congress president and Gurdaspur candidate Sunil Jakhar on Sunday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trying to rip apart the communal fabric of the country with its divisive policies and vowed to work for the welfare of all communities and sections of the society.

Speaking at a Christian prayer meeting and later at a Gurjar rally, Jakhar lamented that India was facing similar divisive threats that were prevailing the world over. The PPCC chief said the nation was in serious danger as a result of the communal poison being spread all around in the name of religion. These forces, which claim to be protectors of Hindu religion, had forgotten that people of every religion and community had sacrificed for the nation, he added.

The minorities were facing a lot of problems, said Jakhar, adding that an attempt was being made to stifle the voice of these people. It was important to resolve such issues in the interest of the nation and its welfare, he said. Promising to take all sections of people with him, Jakhar said some small-minded people were taking over the country and it was important to combat such forces.

Senior Congress leader Raninder Singh also charged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with trying to divide the nation on communal lines, saying Punjab’s communal harmony was its strength and the people would not allow such divisive forces to succeed in their nefarious designs. Hindus and Muslims in the region had been living together peacefully for years in the region and would not allow the BJP to succeed in destroying this peace and amity.

Speaking at a Gurjar rally, Raninder assailed the erstwhile SAD-BJP government for not doing any development work for the region and instead trying to take credit for the work done by the Congress. Reiterating the party’s promise to implement the Assembly poll manifesto, Raninder said the Akalis had looted the state and the Captain Amarinder Singh government was working hard to put it back on the track of progress.

Addressing the rally, Jakhar said the Captain Amarinder government had, in just six months, paved the way for the development of Punjab. Citing various welfare programmes initiated by the government, including hike in pension and Shagun scheme, Jakhar said unlike the Akalis, the Congress government was working in the interest of the people and not to fill the pockets of party leaders and functionaries.

Talking to mediapersons later, Jakhar lashed out at those tagging him an `outsider’ and said he would first make space for himself in the hearts of the people of Gurdaspur with his good work and then make place in their homes.

The Punjab Congress president said he was fighting the bypoll on the plank of development and was committed to resolving the problems of the people of the constituency. The people of this border area need employment, which the Captain Amarinder Singh led government was working towards. He also promised to address their railways related problems.

Jakhar exhorted the people to send him to the Lok Sabha with a resounding victory to send a strong message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the BJP’s attempts at dividing the country would not succeed.

Jakhar, who was accompanied by several Congress leaders, also visited the Dhariwal church to take blessings.