Rahul: Punjab has ease of business only in drugs

JALANDHAR:Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today said that contrary to their constant refrain of the “ease of business”, it is only the “drug trade” that is flourishing in Punjab.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi with party workers during a demonstration outside the DAC office in Jalandhar on Monday. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 13

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today said that contrary to their constant refrain of the “ease of business”, it is only the “drug trade” that is flourishing in Punjab.

Addressing a massive state-level demonstration against the “deteriorating law and order situation and the scourge of drugs” in front of the District Administrative Complex here, Rahul squarely blamed the Akali leaders for patronising the drug mafia.

Appealing to the people of Punjab to wipe out SAD-BJP in the Assembly elections, he reiterated his statement of 70 per cent Punjabis being hooked on drugs.

“Akali leaders, including Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, mocked at me and blamed me for having defamed Punjab. Today, I repeat what I had said four years ago. The future of Punjab is getting spoiled with chitta (white drug powder). Now, the Akalis have even made all possible attempts to scuttle the release of movie ‘Udta Punjab’, as they do not want to accept the reality and are scared of getting exposed.”

In his eight-minute speech, Rahul did not blame the state police. “Punjab Police fought terrorism with valour and it is not that the police are incapable of combating the problem. Problem hai ke Akali leaders ne achhe officers ko ‘khude line’ mein laga rakha hai (Problem is that the Akalis have sidelined good officers).”

Backing state party chief Capt Amarinder Singh, he said, “He has rightly said that the drug menace would be brought to an end in just a month after he takes over the reins of the state. He knows he just has to post competent and honest officers, replacing those with a tarnished image, which unfortunately the SAD is deliberately not doing.”

Capt Amarinder asserted that a recent study pointed to the drug menace worsening to 78 per cent, rather than 70 per cent. He did not elaborate.

Those at the dharna included Harish Chaudhary, Ambika Soni, Shamsher Singh Dullo, Partap Singh Bajwa, Charanjit Singh Channi, Sunil Jakhar, Ch Santokh Singh, Ravneet Bittu, Raja Warring, Vijay Inder Singla and organiser Rana Gurjeet Singh.