Kumari Selja Says Poor Need Dignified Jobs, Not Just Five-Kilogram Ration

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At Nagpur block Congress convention, Sirsa MP accuses BJP of dividing society and urges workers to strengthen the organisation from villages to booth level

Kumari Selja, Sirsa MP, former Union minister, AICC general secretary and CWC member, on Tuesday said that poor people need dignified employment and opportunities for self-reliance rather than being dependent only on welfare assistance.

Addressing the Nagpur Block Congress convention at Shagun Palace in Nagpur, Ratia assembly constituency, Selja said India’s social fabric had historically been shaped by the ideals associated with Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Dr B.R. Ambedkar. She alleged that the policies of the BJP were contributing to divisions on caste and religious lines and affecting social harmony.

Selja focuses on employment and welfare

Selja said political attention should remain centred on development, employment and public welfare rather than issues that, according to her, divide communities.

She alleged that the BJP government was attempting to shift public attention away from economic and welfare concerns by invoking caste and religion. In contrast, she said, Congress had traditionally sought to bring different communities together around development and social harmony.

Reference to alleged stage purification incident

During her address, Selja referred to an alleged incident in Haldwani following a public meeting addressed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, claiming that the stage was subsequently subjected to a purification ritual.

She described the reported incident as contrary to the principles of constitutional equality and social harmony. Selja alleged that such incidents reflected a discriminatory mindset and said Congress would continue to oppose such thinking. These were political allegations made by Selja in her address and are presented as her claims.

Calls workers to strengthen Rahul Gandhi’s campaign

Selja also spoke about Rahul Gandhi’s political campaign around the Constitution, democracy and citizens’ rights. She urged Congress workers to become a source of organisational strength and take the party’s message to villages and households.

According to Selja, the real strength of any political organisation lies with workers operating at the booth and village levels. She called upon party workers to remain connected with people and raise their concerns through the organisational structure.

‘Poor need dignified employment’

Taking aim at the government’s welfare approach, Selja said that merely providing subsidised food was not enough to address poverty.

She referred to the provision of five kilograms of ration and argued that poor families also need stable employment, income opportunities and the ability to become self-reliant. She further alleged that the supply of cooking oil through ration arrangements had been discontinued and claimed that the Ayushman Bharat health scheme had been weakened.

Selja said that, in her assessment, needy families were facing difficulties in accessing adequate healthcare while young people continued to seek employment opportunities.

Congress’s record cited by Selja

Selja also highlighted what she described as the record of previous Congress-led governments in reducing poverty and creating employment opportunities. She claimed that 27 crore people had been brought out of poverty during the Congress-led period and referred to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as an important mechanism for providing employment in rural areas.

She alleged that the present government had weakened MGNREGA and argued that employment-oriented policies should receive greater attention. These remarks reflect Selja’s political assessment of government welfare and employment policies.

Grassroots workers at the centre of convention

The Nagpur convention brought together local Congress office-bearers, leaders and workers from the Ratia area. Among those present were Nagpur Block Congress president Gurjinder Johal, Mahila District Congress president Paramjit Kaur Garoha, Ratia Block Congress president Gursevak Singh, Jaipal Lali, Sudhir Godara, Mangat Lal Wash, Surendra Bartia, Gurdeep Chahal, Devraj Hadouli, Satbir Bhuthan, Amarjit Singh Brar, Subhash Bishnoi, Sukhdev Aharwan, Rajesh Chadiwal, Lal Bahadur Khayowal and Virbhan Mehta, besides a large number of party workers.

The gathering comes amid a broader Congress effort to strengthen its organisational network at the block and booth levels in Haryana. Selja urged workers to remain active among people and carry local concerns to the wider political platform.

Focus shifts to organisation and public issues

Selja’s Nagpur address combined criticism of government policies with a call for greater organisational activity among Congress workers. Employment, welfare delivery, healthcare, social harmony and grassroots organisation remained central themes of her remarks.

For Congress, the block-level convention provides an opportunity to connect senior leadership with local workers and discuss issues raised at the village and booth levels. The Nagpur meeting placed both public issues and organisational responsibilities before party workers, with Selja urging them to remain active among people and carry their concerns to the wider political platform.

Reporting note: Political statements and allegations in this report are attributed to Kumari Selja. They are presented as claims made during her address and do not represent independent findings by Pen Of Democracy.

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