This story is from September 13, 2020

Congress’s new Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat calls Capt Amarinder Singh's rivals ‘friends’

Newly appointed general secretary in charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat says he will work towards making party leaders in the state sink their differences for a united front. He also feels the delay in release of goods and services tax (GST) is affecting Punjab’s economy badly.
Congress’s new Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat calls Capt Amarinder Singh's rivals ‘friends’
Harish Rawat
CHANDIGARH: Newly appointed general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat says he will work towards making party leaders in the state sink their differences for a united front. He also feels the delay in release of goods and services tax (GST) is affecting Punjab’s economy badly.
You said you have worked closely with Navjot Singh Sidhu and Partap Singh Bajwa in the past. Will you make these leaders sink their differences?
They are not just my friends, but prominent leaders who are assets to the party.
If they have differences, we will surely try to sort them out.
Will you also review the party’s promises made in the last assembly elections?
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh has sent me a copy of the party’s Punjab manifesto. However, I would want to say that due to Covid and the resultant economic crisis, the entire financial condition of the state has been affected badly. So it will have to be factored in to see what all works can be taken up in the present scenario. For the Congress, the manifesto is an important document, but we will have to also take into account the present situation.

How do you see being the replacement to Asha Kumari?
It is a routine exercise and only a change of responsibilities. Today I have been made in charge of Punjab; tomorrow, I may be given some other task by the party.
Punjab has surpassed other states in Covid death rate. How do you rate the state’s work on this front?
Punjab had initially handled the pandemic effectively and it was appreciated by all. People from Uttarakhand who came back from Punjab gave us feedback that the state government had done a good job. However, it was believed Punjab would be worst affected and it was vulnerable due to the high number of NRIs and migrant labour, but we hope things would be brought under control.
Punjab has been complaining of delay in release of GST compensation by the Centre. How big is the concern?
It is very unfortunate and the state should have been given what is due to them. Development works and welfare activities are being affected by the delay in payment. The state cannot be asked to mobilise funds at their level.
author
About the Author
Vibhor Mohan

Vibhor Mohan is Special Correspondent with The Times of India’s Punjab Bureau at Chandigarh. He holds post-graduate degrees in Mass Communication and English and has nearly 15 years of experience, having covered important stations in Punjab. He covers news concerning Punjab politics, NRI affairs and the power sector, besides specializing in writing on architecture, especially on the works of Le Corbusier, the man who gave India its first designed city – Chandigarh.

End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA