Jalandhar, November 1: All India Congress Committee secretary and former Punjab education minister Padma Shri Pargat Singh on Friday accused the BJP-led central government and the RSS of conspiring to weaken Punjab’s institutions by “seizing control” of Panjab University on Punjab Day.
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Pargat Singh said the Centre’s move to dissolve the Senate of Panjab University and restructure it into a nominated body was “unconstitutional” and an “attack on Punjab’s rights.” He claimed the decision was part of a wider RSS-backed strategy to centralise control over the education system.
“The BJP government has snatched Punjab’s educational autonomy. Dissolving the Senate on Punjab Day is not a coincidence — it is a calculated move to control Punjab’s future through education,” Pargat Singh said. “Congress will not stay silent. We will soon start a state-wide agitation.”
He said students were being forced to sign admission forms restricting their right to protest or participate in any campus activity, calling it a “blatant violation of democratic freedoms.” The restructuring, he added, would impact affiliated colleges across seven districts, three regional campuses, and several DPI colleges that had been bypassed.
Accusing the Aam Aadmi Party government of “collusion” with the BJP, Pargat Singh: “The Punjab Dam Safety Act was turned into a mere jumla in the Bhakra Beas Management Board case.”
He urged all political parties to unite above party lines to protect Punjab’s constitutional rights. “This is not about one party — it’s about Punjab’s identity and federal power,” he said.
Pargat Singh also lashed out at the Mann government for the deteriorating law and order situation. “Crime has gone out of control. Some criminal-minded people have even entered the police force,” he alleged.
Referring to the Tarn Taran by-election, the former minister said political neglect of Majha region for four decades had led to growing instability. He also blamed Captain Amarinder Singh for incidents of sacrilege and “police corruption,” saying, “This is why Rahul Gandhi removed him from office.”
Pargat Singh further criticised former ED Director Niranjan Singh, saying retired officials attacking governments after service “lose credibility.”
