Rahul Gandhi accused Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann of failing to tackle the state’s drug problem.
Recalling their time in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi alleged that Mann’s breath smelled of alcohol by 11am.
He claimed AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Amit Shah were influencing the Punjab government.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann of failing to curb drug abuse and alleged that Mann used to smell of alcohol during their time in the Lok Sabha.
Speaking at the party’s ‘Insaaf Rally’ in Sangrur, Gandhi also accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of being controlled from Delhi and questioned its record on tackling drugs.
Rahul Targets Mann Over Drug Crisis
Recalling their time in Parliament, Gandhi said Mann would sit with Congress members and tell jokes. “By 11:00 am, you could smell alcohol on his breath,” he said.
Gandhi said drinking was a personal choice, but argued that the chief minister’s conduct mattered in the fight against substance abuse.
“Now, I am not saying that Bhagwant Mann shouldn’t drink; that is his personal affair. If he chooses to drink, that is entirely his own business. But if you truly want to fight the menace of substance abuse, your Chief Minister cannot be under the influence every single evening. You need someone who will fight for Punjab, someone who genuinely feels the pain caused by drugs, someone who carries the pain of Punjab in his heart,” he said.
Gandhi accused the AAP government of failing to fulfil its promise to eliminate drugs from the state. “The Aam Aadmi Party came to power, and you placed your trust in them, in Bhagwant Mann and the Aam Aadmi Party. They promised that they would eradicate the drug menace. I ask you: where have they eliminated it? From which corner of Punjab have they managed to remove drugs? They are simply incapable of eradicating this menace,” he said.
Claims Punjab Is Being Run From Delhi
Gandhi alleged that AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Union home minister Amit Shah were influencing the state government.
“People here need a govt that works for Punjab. When the Congress party comes to power, the govt of Punjab cannot be run from Delhi. Our party will run the Punjab government from within Punjab,” he said.
“Right now, however, the reins are held half by Amit Shah and half by Kejriwal, while Bhagwant Mann just sits there. Punjab is being governed from Delhi,” he added.
Gandhi also challenged Shah’s claim that the drug problem would be eradicated within three years. “In three years, Amit Shah won’t even be the Home Minister anymore... My assessment is that this govt won’t even last a year. Anyway, Amit Shah claims he will eradicate the drug problem in three years,” he said.
Calls For Jobs And Stronger Agriculture
Gandhi said he had raised concerns about Punjab’s drug problem during an earlier visit, but alleged that the BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal had dismissed his warnings.
“Many years ago, when I first visited Punjab, I pointed out that the drug menace was spreading there. The opposition, the BJP, the Akali Dal, and others, claimed that Rahul Gandhi knew nothing about Punjab and that drugs were not spreading in the state,” he said.
He said Punjab needed industries, factories and a strong agricultural sector to create opportunities, and warned that a lack of economic prospects could contribute to drug abuse and gangsterism.
Gandhi also referred to the debate challenge he said he had issued to Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day earlier. “Yesterday, I challenged Narendra Modi to a face-to-face debate. He can make anyone he wants the judge for this debate. I guarantee the nation that Narendra Modi cannot sit before me,” he said.
“I can guarantee that within five minutes of the debate starting I will prove that Narendra Modi is a ‘desh-drohi’ and Donald Trump controls him,” Gandhi added.
