Rahul vows to end drugs menace, hits out at Akalis

Jalandhar, June 13: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday promised to end the drugs menace in Punjab if the party comes to power in 2017 Assembly polls in the state by bringing in a new law.

Hitting out at the 9-years old SAD-BJP government in the state, Gandhi accused the Akalis of “protecting” drugs trade and said there was “ease in doing only one business in Punjab which is of drugs”.

Gandhi also lambasted the Akali dispensation for unemployment in the state.

Leading a dharna against the drugs menace and “deteriorating” law and order situation in the state, Gandhi asked people to be beware of the “dangerous enemy” which was “ruining” their lives, and promised to bring the state back on track.

“Amarinder Singh ji said he will take one month to end the drugs problem when Congress comes to power. Why did he say so. If you have to eliminate the drugs problem, then you will have to give power to the police.

“You will have to put right officers on the job and remove inefficient ones and this work is not being done by Akali Dal. When you do this job and you end the nexus of police and Akali Dal, then the drugs problem will be addressed in one month,” Gandhi said.

“Those who have made money, big houses and robbed the youth of their money from this drugs trade, we will get that money back (from them) and return it to you. We will bring a law and deploy the police in the right manner to stop the menace,” he said.

AAP, Kamal Nath spar over Sikh riots

Allegations of a role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots returned to haunt Kamal Nath, who has been appointed as Congress general secretary in-charge of Punjab, with AAP using it to attack him, while the veteran MP dismissed it saying he was “absolved” of all charges by the Nanavati Inquiry Commission.

Citing documents, AAP leader and an advocate fighting for the victims of the 1984 riots, H S Phoolka, claimed that Nath was a part of the mob that attacked the Rakab Ganj Sahib Gurudwara in Delhi on November 1, 1984. Two Sikhs were also burnt to death in the attack.