On a visit to Punjab, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday raked up the issue of drugs asserting that his party will eradicate the drugs problem in months if it comes to power in Punjab.
Terming it as a “serious issue” he said, “When Congress party would form the Government in the State. You will see that we will take action against the people responsible for drug abuse. We will eradicate it and you will see the difference in months”.
On a one-day visit to Punjab to meet and boost the morale of party workers, Gandhi addressed a gathering of more than 2,000 party workers at the farm house of a local Congress leader in Mohali. Many Congress MlAs, MPs, block presidents were also part of the gathering. The meeting was organised by poll strategist Prashant Kishor’s organisation, Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC).
Gandhi hit at the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party Government, saying it does not want to focus on the problem of drug abuse in the state and is not working effectively to root out the menace. “The Akali Dal government does not want to even recognize this problem. They are not doing enough to tackle this menace,” he added.
The Congress Vice President said the Punjab government had mocked him in the past for raising the sensitive issue.
“Drug problem has always been a very serious issue in Punjab. I raised this issue several times earlier, but Akali Dal made fun of me. We want to give a new kind of Government in Punjab, one that is sensitive to people,”he said.
“Punjab is the heart of the nation and nobody can insult it. Punjab gives life to the country. I have a special place for Punjab in my heart and all I want is to help the people of the state,” Gandhi added. Reacting to the accusation by SAD-BJP combine about drug problem claims being an insult to Punjab, Rahul Gandhi said nobody can harm the image of the state
The Congress vice president also demanded that there should be no delay in disbursal of payment to wheat-growers for their produce. Gandhi, however, refused to comment on the Sutlej-Yamuna link canal issue, saying the matter is sub-judice. Gandhi’s meeting with party leaders was out of bounds for the media.
Gandhi made it clear that tickets would be given to only those candidates who have worked on ground while retaining a balance in representation of youth, women, experienced leaders and minorities and other marginalized groups.
He said youth will be given adequate representation in the ticket distribution exercise.
Instilling confidence into his colleagues, Gandhi emphasized on how once the party workers make up their mind, there is no stopping Congress from forming the government in Punjab.
The workers lauded Gandhi’s initiative of establishing a direct communication with them at the grassroots. The unity within the party was palpable, as was the Congress VPs understanding of Punjab’s issues and the party’s commitment towards restoring the heydays of Punjab.
Congress aims to wrest power in Punjab in 2017 after setbacks in the 2007 and 2012 polls, when it was defeated by the SAD-BJP coalition. This was Gandhi’s first visit to Punjab after Capt Amarinder Singh was made the President of the Punjab Congress replacing Partap Singh Bajwa.
All leaders of Punjab Congress, including AICC General Secretary in-charge of Punjab, Shakeel Ahmed, senior leader Ambika Soni, Capt Amarinder, his predecessor Bajwa, newly inducted Manpreet Singh Badal amongst others were present in the interaction though it was primarily a show of Gandhi.