Punjab Needs Issue-Based Politics, 1984 A Mistake: Punjab Congress Chief Pargat Singh

Newly appointed Punjab Congress chief, hockey legend Pargat Singh, has said that restoring the "Punjab brand", rebuilding public confidence and shifting political discourse from personal attacks to serious issues will be among his key priorities as he takes charge of the party ahead of the 2027 assembly election.

In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Pargat Singh also addressed one of the Congress's most sensitive historical issues -- the 1984 anti-Sikh riots -- saying what happened was a mistake and that senior Congress leaders, including former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, had spoken about it in the past.

"It was a mistake. Rahul Gandhi ji has also said this several times, and Dr Manmohan Singh ji also spoke about it. I also believe it was a mistake," Pargat said.

At the same time, he argued that Punjab and its politics must learn from history while looking ahead.

"We can learn from the past, visualise the coming time and see what is right for us in the present circumstances. We also have to move forward," he said.

The remark is politically significant because the 1984 issue continues to remain part of Punjab's political discourse and has often been used by Congress rivals to question the party's credibility among Sikh voters.

However, Pargat Singh sought to position his leadership around present-day governance issues rather than historical baggage alone.

Punjab, he said, needs a new political culture based on issues, governance and long-term planning.

"Today there is Pargat Singh, Bhagwant Mann or Sukhbir Badal. Tomorrow we may not be there, but Punjab will remain," he said.

Punjab's immediate challenge, he said, was to restore what he repeatedly described as the "Punjab brand". This, he said, would require both short-term corrective measures and long-term structural reforms.

He listed policing among the immediate areas needing correction, while agriculture diversification and education required sustained long-term policy intervention.

On education, Pargat said there was a clear mismatch between the requirements of industry and the skills available among young people.
Recalling his brief stint as Punjab's Education Minister, he said industrialists had complained that they could not find adequately skilled youth, while young people simultaneously complained of a lack of jobs.

"This means the curriculum needs to be redesigned according to present-day needs," he said.

On factionalism within Punjab Congress, he defended internal debate, saying vocal disagreement should not automatically be seen as disunity.

"If people cannot speak in a democracy, I do not consider that democracy," he said.

He, however, criticised the growing tendency of political parties to reduce politics to trolling, reels, jokes and personal taunts.

According to him, Punjab gains little from such discourse and needs politics centred on substantive issues.

On the drug crisis, Pargat described the problem as both administrative and social. He said lack of physical activity, emotional isolation and failure to channel the energy of young people were also contributing factors.

Sports, he said, could play an important role in giving youth discipline, direction and an alternative to drugs.

A former Indian hockey captain, Pargat said Punjab needed continuity in sports development from the school level to university and elite competition, along with better coaches, infrastructure and resources.

Summing up his political approach, Pargat said the party must keep Punjab at the centre of its strategy.

"Our team is Congress, our goal is Punjab, and Congress is the means," he said.