Warring hits back at Kejriwal, Mann over Rahul Gandhi remarks

Warring hits back at Kejriwal, Mann over Rahul Gandhi remarks

Says, AAP exposed beyond redemption

‘AAP has felt the pain as Rahul Gandhi hit the nail on its head’

Chandigarh 9 September ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann over their remarks on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying the reaction from the AAP leadership showed that Gandhi had “hit the nail on its head” by exposing the Punjab government’s claims on the drug menace. Warring said it was “good that the AAP has felt the pain”, asserting that the party’s response itself demonstrated how uncomfortable its leadership had become over questions concerning the availability of drugs in Punjab. “The AAP has mastered the shameless art of self-praise. No wonder it shamelessly claims to have eradicated drugs in Punjab, when these are available like salt,” Warring said.

The Punjab Congress chief alleged that despite repeated claims by the AAP government that the drug problem had been brought under control, the ground reality in the state remained starkly different. He said the issue could not be resolved through political statements or publicity campaigns and alleged that the continued availability of drugs in Punjab raised serious questions about the effectiveness of the government’s anti-drug campaign.

Warring also accused AAP leaders, including Kejriwal and Mann of telling “blatant lies” about the drug situation in Punjab. “The AAP leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann have the audacity to lie so blatantly about drugs in Punjab that they jail and force people to take their lives if they ask questions on the prevailing drug problem in the state,” he alleged. Referring to the death of Gulzar Singh, Warring said the incident had raised serious questions about the manner in which the state government was dealing with those who questioned its claims and policies. He alleged that instead of answering legitimate questions about the drug menace, the government was attempting to silence its critics.

“Gulzar Singh’s suicide will not only haunt the AAP, but will prove to be the last nail in its coffin,” Warring said. Warring said the AAP government’s claims of having eliminated drugs from Punjab needed to be judged against the actual situation prevailing on the ground rather than political assertions. He alleged that the contradiction between the government’s claims and reports of continued availability of narcotic substances had exposed what he called the “failure” of the AAP administration to tackle the drug menace. The Congress leader further said that Punjab’s people deserved transparency and accountability from the government on the drug crisis, rather than repeated claims of success. He said Rahul Gandhi had raised questions on an issue that directly affects Punjab’s youth and families and asserted that the AAP’s angry response could not substitute for answers.

Warring challenged the AAP leadership to address the concerns surrounding the availability of drugs in the state and explain why the problem continued to figure prominently in public discourse despite the government’s repeated claims of having eradicated it. “The AAP is exposed beyond redemption. No matter how much its leaders lie, Gulzar Singh’s suicide will not only haunt it, but will prove to be the last nail in its coffin,” he said. Warring maintained that the Congress would continue to raise the issue of Punjab’s drug crisis and demand accountability from the state government. He said the AAP government should focus on addressing the concerns of Punjab’s people, particularly young people and their families affected by substance abuse, instead of engaging in political attacks against the Opposition.