Rahul Gandhi Has No Moral Right To Protest Punjab Drug Menace: AAP Leader

CHANDIGARH:  AAP leader Bhagwant Mann today said Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has no moral right to stage a protest against the drug menace in Punjab as he and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had earlier failed to take action to resolve the problem.

He accused Mr Gandhi of promoting tainted leaders and the former Prime Minister of keeping mum on the drug problem in the state in spite of former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi drawing his attention towards the issue.

“Manmohan Singh maintained a stony silence despite (SY) Quraishi informing him of the enormity of the drug menace in Punjab during the 2012 assembly polls, while Amarinder (Singh) chose to side with SAD minister Bikram Singh Majithia by opposing a CBI probe,” the AAP MP from Sangrur said.

Mr Quraishi had written a two-page letter to the then Prime Minister, “lamenting the staggering amount of drugs seized in the run-up to the 2012 Punjab Assembly polls. Instead of taking stern action, Manmohan Singh chose to keep mum and the letter got buried under government files.

“Rahul (Gandhi) must also explain the conduct of Congress’ Jalandhar MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and questioned over his links to SAD leader Chunni Lal Gabba, who is a drug smuggler,” Mr Mann said.

“Gabba, a Goraya-based businessman, is facing a ED probe in a drug trade linking him to international drug lord Jagdish Bhola,” he said.

Mr Gandhi rewarded Punjab Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa, “whom Amarinder had accused of being a drug smuggler with terror links” with a Rajya Sabha seat instead of taking action against him, Mr Mann alleged.

“In 2013, Amarinder had written a letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, accusing Bajwa of being a drug smuggler with terror links. So, either Amarinder is lying or Rahul is promoting tainted leaders in the party,” the AAP lawmaker said.

“With such glaring revelations, Rahul and his party colleagues stand exposed and have no moral right to stage a protest against the drug menace,” Mr Mann said.

Mr Gandhi is scheduled to lead a Congress protest in Jalandhar tomorrow against the drug menace and “deteriorating” law and order situation in the state.