To woo Punjabis, Hooda vows to constitute welfare board
Parveen Arora
Tribune News Service
Karnal, August 18
In a major attempt to woo the Punjabi community, the Congress held a state-level Punjabi sammelan in Karnal on Sunday where former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda assured to constitute a Punjabi welfare board if the Congress comes to power.
He announced this on the demand raised by the Rashtriya Punjabi Mahasabha president and convener of the programme Ashok Mehta. The state-level programme was organised to pay tribute to freedom fighter Madan Lal Dhingra on his death anniversary.
This board will be constituted for the welfare of Punjabi community members, who migrated to this side after Partition. Hooda said that a senior leader of the community — who is aware of the issues and demands of the community — would be made the chairman of the board.
Hooda also assured to give due share to the community in the allocation of tickets for the election.
Hooda highlighted the contribution of the Punjabi community and said that they have played a major role in the progress of the entire country, including Haryana. He said that the Congress has always given full respect and representation to the Punjabis, but the BJP government could not provide security to the community.
The former CM also pointed to the rising crime graph in Haryana and said businessmen have to pay ransom to miscreants to stay alive.
Accompanied by the Congress president Udai Bhan, former MP Raj Babbar and others, Hooda paid tribute to patriot Madan Lal Dhingra and urged the gathering to take inspiration from his life.
Hooda said that the Punjabi community was always given a fair share during the Congress government be it Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha ticket, position in the Cabinet, chairmanship of boards and corporations or appointment in the CM’s office. “In this Lok Sabha election too, the party made two leaders of the Punjabi society its candidates,” he said.
“The Congress installed the statue of martyr Madan Lal Dhingra, and constructed a medical college in the name of Kalpana Chawla. The BJP government displaced the statue of the martyr and tried to change the name of Kalpana Chawla Medical College,” he alleged.
Udai Bhan said that the Punjabi society suffered the most due to the Partition of the country, but with its hard work and skill, it not only strengthened the society again but also contributed to the progress of the country and the state.
Former MP Raj Babbar said he was satisfied that the government led by Hooda and the Congress has given full respect to the Punjabi community. Therefore, in this election, the community should also come together and support the Congress and ensure its participation in the next government of the state.
