Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday cautioned people against “experimenting” in the Punjab assembly elections on February 20, asserting that “only the Congress can take care of Punjab”.
Addressing a poll rally in Hoshiarpur, Gandhi said that the Congress understands Punjab very well and can take the state forward. “Punjab’s peace is the most important thing. Remember, this is not a laboratory. It is not a place to carry out an experiment.”
“You understand the Congress party. It can take everyone along and maintain peace. We have experience in doing so. This is not the time to experiment... What matters most for Punjab is peace, communal harmony and unity for the sake of which Congress is ready to sacrifice anything. It is the only party that can take along people of all faiths, castes and beliefs,” he added.
Assembly polls for electing 117 assembly seats in Punjab will be held on February 20.
Hailing the Congress party’s chief ministerial face, Charanjit Singh Channi, as someone who understands poverty well, Gandhi said: “Our government is pro-farmer which is why we stood with farmers and tried to stop these agri laws in Parliament.”
The Congress leader lauded the Punjab farmers for agitating against the three central laws, and took a swipe at the Narendra Modi-led government. “Having made the farmers suffer for more than a year, Modi ji said ‘galti ho gayi’, but till date the government has not given compensation to the families of the 700 odd farmers lost in the struggle,” he said.
He further hailed Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and campaign committee head Sunil Jakhar, saying: “We have a long list of capable leaders, including Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sunil Jakhar, and we take along everyone.”
{{/usCountry}}He further hailed Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and campaign committee head Sunil Jakhar, saying: “We have a long list of capable leaders, including Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sunil Jakhar, and we take along everyone.”
{{/usCountry}}Attacking the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Gandhi said that the AAP was a failure in Delhi and knew nothing about Punjab.
“They cannot take care of Punjab and they do not know how to do it. Only the Congress can take care of Punjab. The Congress can maintain peace in Punjab... We deeply understand Punjab. We know that the most important thing for Punjab is peace, brotherhood and unity and for this, the Congress party can do anything,” he added.
AAP leader Harpal Singh Cheema hit out at Gandhi, saying: “I challenge him to prove if even a single promise was fulfilled by the Congress in Punjab. He should reply why the CM had to be changed. AAP is all set to form the government in Punjab.”