A group of Congress leaders from the Christian community in Punjab has threatened to sever its ties with the party, alleging persistent neglect and bias. The leaders claimed that despite serving the party honestly for years, they were never given the respect or recognition they deserved.
Allegations of Bias and Sidelining
Emmanuel Rehmat Masih, a former general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, alleged that those close to senior party leaders and the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) continued to enjoy prominence, while sincere workers and leaders from the community were sidelined. He stated that despite repeated assurances by senior Congress leader and now Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi between 2018 and 2022 regarding the strengthening of the party through organisational elections, nothing of the sort had happened.
Meeting with Rahul Gandhi in 2022
Referring to a meeting of community representatives held on February 14, 2022, at Flower Convention School in Dhariwal, Gurdaspur, the leaders said around 30 members of the community took up their grievances with Rahul Gandhi. However, no meaningful steps were taken after the meeting, according to Masih.
Demand for Tickets in Upcoming Elections
The leaders demanded that at least two members from the community be given Congress tickets in the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections. They argued that the community's contributions to the party have been overlooked for too long and that such representation is necessary to address their concerns.
The threat to sever ties signals growing discontent among minority groups within the Congress party in Punjab. The Christian community, though a small percentage of the population, has traditionally been a supporter of the Congress. The party has yet to respond officially to the allegations and demands.
