Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 6 (ANI): Senior Congress leader and Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar on Saturday distanced himself from the allegations levelled by his son and former MLA Neeraj Bharti against Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, describing them as “baseless and without facts” and warning that such statements damage the image of both the party and the government.
Bharti, a former vice-president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) and former Jawali MLA, recently launched a series of sharp attacks against the Chief Minister and the Congress leadership through social media posts. His resignation from the HPCC vice-president’s post was accepted by the party on Friday, a day after he stepped down following the issuance of a show-cause notice for repeatedly criticising the government and party leadership.
Responding to questions from reporters in Shimla, Bharti’s father Kumar said, “Allegations made without facts or adequate discussion damage the image of both the party and the government.”
He said that if any leader has concerns regarding the functioning of the government or organisational matters, such issues should be raised before the Chief Minister and the state Congress leadership through appropriate channels.
“Raising issues concerning the party and the government on social media or public platforms is inappropriate,” Kumar said, adding that the Congress is a democratic organisation where every leader and worker has the right to express their views, but there are established forums within the party for such discussions.
Emphasising the importance of discipline, the veteran Congress leader said, “The greatest strength of any political organisation lies in its discipline and mutual coordination. While everyone in the Congress gets an opportunity to voice their opinion, public rhetoric should be avoided. Senior leaders and office-bearers must conduct themselves responsibly.”
On Bharti’s resignation, Kumar said the Congress leadership had taken the matter seriously and would hold discussions with all concerned stakeholders. He indicated that efforts would be made to resolve the issue through dialogue rather than taking hasty decisions.
The Agriculture Minister also maintained that while constructive criticism is an essential part of democracy, party leaders should refrain from making statements that adversely affect the public image of the Congress and the state government.
“While it is natural for the opposition to criticise the government, making statements against one’s own government on public platforms cannot be considered appropriate,” he said. (ANI)
The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.
