A public interaction program organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab's Jagraon district was met with strong resistance from labour union activists on Friday. The event, held in Pone village as part of the party's "Viksit Bharat" awareness drive, was briefly disrupted when members of a local Mazdoor Union staged a demonstration.
Clash Over Rural Development Laws
The protesters voiced their primary demand: the full implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The situation escalated, leading to a clash between the demonstrators and the event organizers. Police personnel present at the scene were forced to intervene and detain several workers to control the situation. This incident highlighted the ongoing friction between central government policies and the demands of local labour groups in rural Punjab.
Jakhar's Counterattack on AAP and Congress
Addressing the gathering, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar launched a sharp critique against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress. He accused the AAP government of deliberately spreading "misinformation" about the new Gram G Act to divert public attention from its own administrative shortcomings.
"The AAP is misleading the public to hide the fact that they failed to provide 100 days of employment," Jakhar stated. He further dismissed the Congress party as the "B-team" of the AAP, alleging that their focus was on political survival rather than serving the public interest. Jakhar claimed that the state Congress had surrendered to the chief minister, who had allegedly placed "Punjab's honour at the feet of Arvind Kejriwal."
Defending Policy and Decrying Law & Order
Jakhar strongly defended the new rural development legislation, asserting that its design aimed to eliminate middlemen and contractors. He emphasized that the policy ensures government benefits reach the poor directly, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" mantra.
"The law ensures that the rightful benefits of labourers are not usurped by politicians," Jakhar told the crowd. "It is intended to give a new direction to rural development and protect the weakest sections of our society."
Shifting focus, the state BJP president also criticized the AAP government's handling of security in Punjab. He alleged a continuous deterioration in law and order, mocking past promises by the state leadership to eradicate gangster culture within a week. "Nothing is happening at the ground level," Jakhar alleged, adding that gangster activities continue to instill fear and insecurity among Punjab's residents.
