Chandigarh: Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh on Thursday targeted AAP govt over law and order, drugs, unemployment, paddy procurement and sacrilege cases ahead of the party’s ‘Insaaf Rally’ in Sangrur on Nov 4.The rally, expected to draw people from across Punjab, will be addressed by leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. Pargat alleged that govt had remained silent on issues affecting farmers, youth, and ordinary citizens over the past four and a half years.Accusing Bhagwant Mann govt of failing to address public concerns, Pargat said he had warned in the Punjab Assembly that the state was being turned into a “police state”. He alleged that the morale of the police and civil administration was low and public confidence in the police was weakening. He also accused BJP and AAP of weakening democratic institutions.Pointing out that the farmers were struggling to sell their crops, he questioned govt’s failure to ensure smooth procurement and fair prices. Farmers need concrete action rather than assurances, he said.On sacrilege cases, Pargat 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 on issues concerning Section 79(1) of the Dam Safety Act and water supplied to Rajasthan. He said ongoing legal proceedings under Articles 78, 79 and 80 required govt to firmly protect Punjab’s interests and water resources.He further questioned the handling of law-and-order cases and police probes in Parminder Singh Jhota and Gulzar Singh cases. Referring to the Sidhu Moosewala murder case, he questioned how conclusions in another murder case could be reached within two hours when the investigation into Moosewala’s killing had taken years.Responding to a question about the possible imposition of the model code of conduct, he said it alone would not resolve systemic problems. Restoring public confidence in the police and administration and fixing accountability were essential, he said. He added that if Congress formed govt, the administration would function according to rules, and no one would be allowed to act arbitrarily.On the proposal to cultivate poppy to tackle synthetic drugs, Pargat said any decision should be taken under the supervision of an expert committee and within a strict regulatory framework. Scientific study, expert advice and effective monitoring were necessary to ensure that any policy reduced the drug problem rather than created a new one, he said.
