Punjab polls: Rahul Gandhi cautions voters against 'experiments'

Punjab Assembly Elections 2022: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cautioned the voters of Punjab against new “experiments” in the border state, insisting that should be wary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for one chance to rule and of AAP Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the wake of Kumar Vishwas’ allegations that he wanted to run the state.

Addressing an election rally here, Gandhi also promised that if Congress retains power it will end the drug menace, improve the health infrastructure, and end monopolies in the transport, cable television business and sand mining.

Gandhi said Captain Amarinder Singh was removed as chief minister as he refused his request for waiving off/ reducing the power and water bills of the people and cut down petrol prices.


The Congress leader said Punjab is a sensitive state and any disturbance of peace and unity here will have big repercussions. “Prime Minister is saying give us one chance to rule. Is Punjab a laboratory for experiments? Doing experiments here can be dangerous…. If peace is disturbed there will be no meaning of development,” he said.

Gandhi urged the people to not just listen to what the PM says but also see the reality. He said Modi had promised 2 crore jobs, doubling of farmer income, Rs 15 Lakh to each citizen.

Instead Modi had given the three farm laws that forced the farmers to protest for one year on the street.

Taking on the union Home Minister, Gandhi said, “Amit Shah has promised that if BJP is voted to power, it will open an institute to fight drugs. Firstly, BJP is not coming to power. And secondly, why is he talking about it now? Where were he and the Akalis when I raised this issue in 2013 and said it is a major issue? Then they had said Rahul Gandhi is speaking bakwaas (non-sense).”

Gandhi also attacked the Delhi chief minister and said while Kejriwal is talking of fighting drugs he had apologised to SAD leader Bikram Majithia (who is facing charges of backing drugs trade).

Raking up the charges levelled by former AAP member Kumar Vishwas against Kejriwal, Gandhi said, “He has said Kejriwal has taken help from traitors. He should tell us if Vishwas is lying or not… Don’t be afraid. Just say yes or no.”

He said Captain Amarinder had to be removed as he said he cannot reduce powere tariffs as he had a contract with the power companies. Charanjeet Singh Channi said the power and water bills as well as petrol and diesel prices could be reduced.

If voted back to power, the Congress government will end monopolies and the youth will run the transport sector, cable charges will be cut by half to Rs 200 and sand will be priced at Rs 1200 per trolley.