Chandigarh, January 21
Reacting to the ongoing controversy, former Education Minister and senior Congress leader Pargat Singh strongly denounced attempts to inject religion and caste into the political discourse in Punjab. He made it clear that he has always stood firmly against any form of divisive politics, reiterating that his approach is rooted in issues that directly affect the people, such as education, employment, healthcare and farmers’ welfare.
Pargat stated that politics should be centred on policies, performance, and public interest, not on exploiting people’s religious or caste identities for electoral gain. He cautioned that such tactics not only weaken democratic values but also threaten the social fabric and hard-earned communal harmony of Punjab.
Pargat further asserted that this style of polarising politics mirrors the BJP’s ideological line, which thrives on creating divisions instead of addressing core governance challenges. “This is not Punjab’s culture, nor is it the Congress party’s tradition,” he emphasised, adding that both Punjab and the Congress cannot afford and will not accept any drift towards communal or caste-based narratives.
Reaffirming his commitment to constructive, issue-based politics, Pargat called upon all political parties and leaders to maintain responsibility in their statements and actions, and to focus on solutions that unite people and strengthen Punjab’s progress rather than inflame sentiments for short-term political benefit.
