Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Tuesday hit back at his detractors within the party amid protests by supporters of former CM Charanjit Singh Channi during the Congress programme ‘Har Booth Congress Mazboot’ in Fazilka.Addressing a large gathering of party workers, Warring challenged the Congress leaders opposing him to “show the courage” to come before him and face him politically. He asserted that he would demonstrate his strength and support within the party.The remarks come days after Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya demanded Warring’s resignation as PPCC chief. A large number of persons claiming to be supporters of Channi staged a protest outside the marriage palace where the party programme was organised by local Congress leaders, including former MLA Mohinder Kumar Rinwa. The protesters were stopped from entering the hall where Warring and AICC general secretary and Punjab affairs incharge Bhupesh Baghel were addressing party workers.As the leaders left the venue, some protesters attempted to gherao their vehicles, prompting security personnel to intervene. Earlier, Warring also launched a sharp attack on former Punjab BJP chief Jattvibeil Jakhar, alleging that Jakhar had betrayed the Congress during the 2022 Assembly elections by joining hands with Union HomeMinister Amit Shah, who later made him the chief of Punjab BJP.Defending his leadership, Warring said that despite the Congress being reduced to just 18 seats in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, when several senior leaders, including former Chief Ministers Capt Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal, as well as former Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, suffered defeats, he retained the Gidderbaha Assembly seat and later won the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat.Warring also announced that the Congress would launch a state-wide agitation if the Punjab Government failed to clear employees’ pending dues within 15 days, in compliance with the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Baghel appealed to the protesting youth to express their grievances peacefully if they were genuine Congress workers. He said party workers across Punjab were asking when disciplinary action would be taken against those creating indiscipline within the organisation.Baghel called upon the rank and file of the Congress to keep in touch with the voters to return the party to power in 2027. Former Congress MLAs Mohider Kumar Rinwa, Hans Raj Josan, Nathu Ram and leaders Kaushal Bouk, Samarbir Singh Sidhu, Raj Baksh Kamboj and Sukhwant Brar were present on the occasion.