On a two-day tour to Punjab, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi Thursday visited families the victims killed in police firing during a protest against the sacrilege incident in the state. Mr Gandhi consoled the family members and expressed grief over what happened at Behbal Kalan village where two people were killed in police firing on protesters staging a demonstration against the sacrilege at Bargari village on October 14.
Later hitting out at Akalis, Mr Gandhi said that everyone’s future in Punjab is “bleak” under their rule. “I can’t see anyone’s future here. Punjab is in crisis... Farmers have problems here... drugs is a big problem,” he said.
“Earlier, when I had said that there is a problem of drugs in Punjab then people made fun of me,” he added.
The Congress vice-president told the local party leaders accompanying him: “We have to be together. The Punjab Congress will fight the 2017 Assembly polls as one unit.”
In a move to show a united face, Mr Gandhi was accompanied by rival Punjab Congress leaders — former chief minister Amarinder Singh and state Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa. This is the first time since Mr Gandhi’s visit to Chandigarh last year that the two have put up a united face.
The show of solidarity comes as the party gears up for the 2017 Assembly elections. Mr Gandhi is also expected to meet farmers in Bathinda district, besides families of the 1984 riot victims.
His visit to the state comes at a time when the state has witnessed protests over incidents of sacrilege. The police has so far arrested over seven persons, including two brothers, Rupinder Singh and Jaswinder Singh, for their alleged involvement in acts of sacrilege.
However, all the arrested persons were later released due to lack of evidence against them. Rahul had earlier visited Punjab in April. He had then visited three grain markets of the state, including Asia’s largest grain market in Khanna.
