Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his vow to make Punjab drug-free by December 31, 2029, claiming that Shah would no longer remain in office by then and that the Narendra Modi government itself would not last another year.Addressing the Congress' 'Insaaf Rally' in Sangrur, the LoP Lok Sabha sounded the party's poll bugle ahead of next year's Punjab Assembly elections, making the drug menace and the alleged remote control of the state government from Delhi central to his attack on the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP.Referring to Shah's recent assurance that Punjab and the rest of the country would be free of drugs by the end of 2029, Rahul Gandhi questioned the timeline set by the Union Home Minister."What timeline did they (Union HM Amit Shah) set for the drug issue?... 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," he said.
Shah had made the drug-free pledge during his recent visit to Punjab, asserting that the government would eliminate the menace across the state and the country by December 31, 2029.His remarks came amid growing public anger over drug trafficking, alleged administrative failures and attacks on people confronting the narcotics network. The Congress Rae Bareli MP said the scale of the drug problem had vindicated his earlier warnings about narcotics spreading across Punjab.RAHUL INVOKES 'CHITTA' MENACERecalling that his concerns had been dismissed by the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal at the time, he said 'chitta', a form of adulterated heroin, had now emerged as one of the state's biggest challenges.The issue has acquired renewed political significance following the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was shot dead after allegedly confronting a chemist involved in the illegal drug trade.His killing triggered protests and intensified public demands for action against the drug network and those allegedly protecting it.The controversy also drew Shah to Punjab, where he met the families of victims of attacks linked to anti-drug activism.'PUNJAB REMOTE-CONTROLLED'Targeting the AAP government, Rahul Gandhi alleged that Punjab was effectively being governed from the national capital rather than by its elected leadership.He accused Amit Shah and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal of exercising control over the state administration while Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann remained on the sidelines."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 runs the Punjab government from within Punjab.
Our Chief Minister is truly the Chief Minister of Punjab," he said.He further alleged that the state's administration was being controlled jointly by the BJP leadership and Kejriwal.Questioning the AAP government's performance, the Congress leader asked the gathering which of its electoral promises had been fulfilled and appealed to voters to support the Congress for employment opportunities and a drug-free Punjab.RAHUL REMEMBERS MOOSEWALARahul Gandhi also invoked his earlier interaction with slain Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, whose father, Balkaur Singh, met him shortly before the rally.Recalling that Moosewala had joined the Congress after meeting him, the 5-time MP described him as a talented young man with the potential to contribute to politics.He also alleged that the singer's security had been withdrawn before he was murdered in broad daylight in May 2022.Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Punjab Congress chief Pargat Singh, party state in-charge Sachin Pilot and several senior leaders attended the rally.- EndsWith agency inputs