In Sangrur for the party’s Insaaf Rally, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also met families of people affected by the drug menace and those who have lost kin to violence.
The leaders interacted with the families of Sukhwinder Singh Calcutta, Gurmel Singh Toot and Parkash Chand, assuring them that the Congress party stood firmly by their side in their fight for justice.
The family of Sukhwinder Singh Calcutta, who was shot dead at a property dealer’s shop in Sehna, Barnala, on October 4, 2025, alleged the involvement of Bhadaur AAP MLA Labh Singh Ugoke and demanded a fair investigation into the case.
Gurmel Singh Toot, former sarpanch of Toot village in Tarn Taran, was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants on September 3, 2025. He had reportedly criticised the AAP government’s handling of the flood situation. Four gangsters took responsibility on social media, alleging he was a police informer, but their claims remain unverified.
Parkash Chand of Bathinda, a retired municipal sanitation worker, shared his family’s ordeal arising from his 36-year-old son’s drug addiction, which has pushed the family into severe financial hardship.
{{/usCountry}}Parkash Chand of Bathinda, a retired municipal sanitation worker, shared his family’s ordeal arising from his 36-year-old son’s drug addiction, which has pushed the family into severe financial hardship.
{{/usCountry}}The family sought support for his son’s rehabilitation, financial assistance and education for his daughters.
Congress Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi said Kharge and Gandhi listened to the families’ concerns and assured them of the Congress party’s continued support in addressing their challenges.
Rahul calls Moose Wala’s father on stage
During the rally, Rahul Gandhi recalled his meeting with slain Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala and called the singer’s father Balkaur Singh on the stage, welcoming him warmly.
As he started his address, Gandhi said he changed his speech plan after Moose Wala’s father came to greet him: “I had a plan for my speech; but a few minutes back, Sidhu Moose Wala’s father came and met me, so I am changing the plan.”
He then recalled his meeting with Moose Wala years ago, when he did not know much about the singer.
“A few years ago, I met Sidhu Moose Wala when he had come to see me in my office. I did not know him at the time. He came across as an impressive young man. He had a tattoo. I had not listened to his songs then. I was told that he was a good person, a musician and wanted to join the Congress. He was a dynamic, talented young man and we made him join the party,” Gandhi said.
Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moose Wala, was shot dead in Mansa district on May 29, 2022. The incident took place a day after his security was withdrawn by the Punjab Police, along with 424 others.
The Congress leader said what happened to Moose Wala had “become a fashion today”.
“The mindset behind shooting Moose Wala in front of everyone without any fear is the same that is prevalent in every corner of Punjab today. Those who want to take the state forward are being silenced,” he claimed.
“Punjab’s voice used to come out in his songs, which I listened to later. But his security was removed. And one day he was killed in broad daylight,” said Rahul.
Balkaur Singh Sidhu thanked Rahul for standing by his family following his son’s murder, saying the leader continued to enquire about the progress of the investigation and shared their grief.
Returns to Sangrur after nine years
The Congress rally drew thousands of party workers and supporters from across Punjab, particularly the Malwa region. The district, considered a political stronghold of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is the home turf of chief minister Bhagwant Mann and three cabinet ministers.
Rahul Gandhi last addressed an election rally in Sangrur at Ballian village in 2017, on the final day of campaigning for the Punjab assembly elections. Before that, he had visited Ghabdan village in 2013 to lay the foundation stone for the PGIMER satellite centre.
The massive turnout saw roads leading to the rally venue choked with buses and cars, with heavy police force deployed to maintain order.
Channi draws loudest cheers
Former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi drew louder cheers from the gathering than Rahul Gandhi and other senior Punjab Congress leaders, including state party president Pargat Singh and former president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
The crowd erupted in cheers whenever Channi’s name was mentioned and listened with rapt attention as he spoke for nearly six minutes.