The Congress Party suspended its Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Punjab from Abohar, Sandeep Jakhar, for indulging in anti-party activities. Sandeep Jakhar is the nephew of Bharatiya Janata Party’s Punjab state President Sunil Jakhar. Notably, Sunil Jakhar was earlier a Congress leader. In May 2022, Sunil Jakhar joined BJP.
All India Congress Committee’s General Secretary Tariq Anwar issued the suspension letter of Sandeep Jakhar. In the letter, it was mentioned that the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, complained about Sandeep that he was indulging in anti-party activities.
Sandeep jakhar is suspended from the party with immediate effect. pic.twitter.com/LELwLxcUfR
— Punjab Congress (@INCPunjab) August 19, 2023
Sandeep was accused of not participating in Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY). For those unaware, Bharat Jodo Yatra was a Congress program to “rediscover” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who “walked” around 4,000 KMs from Kanyakumari to Kashmir over four months.
The second accusation made against Sandeep was that the common accommodation where he lived had a BJP flag hoisted atop. In the third accusation, Congress claimed Sandeep spoke against Congress Party and its Punjab President Warring. In the fourth and last accusation, they accused Sandeep of “openly” defending Sunil Jakhar.
Interestingly, in the suspension letter, AICC mentioned the district in Sandeep’s address as Ferozepur. Village Panjkosi is not in district Ferozpur but in district Fazilka which was carved out of Ferozepur in 2011.
Speaking to ANI, Sandeep said, “Party did what they wanted to do. My focus is on my work. I am doing my work. My stand has been clear since day one when Sunil Ji left Congress. My stand is I am with Sunil Ji. In the last year, whatever I did, I did it openly. I did not hide my intentions. The people of Abohar gave me responsibility, and I am fulfilling my duty towards them by raising their voices. I will continue my work in the same manner in the future.”
#WATCH | Fazilka, Punjab: Suspended Congress leader Sandeep Jakhar says, "The party did whatever they found right. My focus is on my work and I'm doing it. My stand was clear from the very first day…Whatever work was done in the past one year was done in front of everybody.… pic.twitter.com/zAQUPlOqpD
— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2023
In a recent tweet, Sandeep invoked Robert Frost’s famous poem ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ and said, “The woods are lovely, dark & deep, but I have promises to keep, & miles to go before I sleep. Thank you, Congress Party, & grateful to most of my colleagues, who always gave me good advice & the respect is mutual.”
'The woods are lovely, dark & deep, but I have promises to keep, & miles to go before I sleep'.. Thank you Congress Party, & grateful to most of my colleagues, who always gave me good advice & the respect is mutual..
— Sandeep Jakhar (ਜਾਖੜ/जाखड़) (@SandeepJakharpb) August 20, 2023
Since Sunil Jakhar joined BJP, the Congress party often attacked him on social media. Sandeep was seen locking horns with Congress leaders, including Warring, to defend Sunil. For example, in the first week of June 2023, Warring challenged Jakhar to stand up for protesting wrestlers against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. He wrote, “Stand up for the female wrestlers who brought glory to our county with the same vigour with which you vent out your frustration against us. This will do you more good,” and “hoped” Jakhar was not feeling suffocated in BJP.
Atleast @sunilkjakhar is 'Asli' unlike someone & I hear a compromise been done with CM regarding some files
— Sandeep Jakhar (ਜਾਖੜ/जाखड़) (@SandeepJakharpb) June 2, 2023
हर एक बात पे कहते हो तुम कि तू क्या है
तुम्हीं कहो कि ये अंदाज़-ए-गुफ़्तुगू क्या है
बना है शाह (इंचार्जों) का साथी फिरे है इतराता
वगर्ना शहर में 'ग़ालिब' तेरी आबरू क्या है https://t.co/lTq2Zt1TnJ pic.twitter.com/5v3cndlNaG
Quoting Warring, Sandeep shared a media interview with Sunil Jakhar, where he said the matter could have been handled much better.
