Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will visit Punjab on Thursday to meet families of the two Sikhs who were killed in police firing during protests over desecration of Guru Granth Sahib in Faridkot district.
Party sources said Rahul was likely to visit Behbal Kalan village, where the two protesters were killed on October 14. Congress general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Shakeel Ahmad, along with state unit chief Partap Singh Bajwa, have already visited the village.
Rahul’s visit comes at a time when Punjab is on the boil over incidents of desecration. As the protests spilled over to other areas, the Congress upped the ante against the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine and demanded immediate resignation of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and deputy CM Sukhbir Badal over the “deteriorating” law and order situation across Punjab. The party has also demanded the imposition of President’s rule in the state.
Coordinated by Bajwa, Rahul’s visit is set to give more teeth to the Congress fight against the ruling coalition, which is also under fire over the issues of corruption and the drug menace.
The Congress is also facing a threat from the Aam Aadmi Party, which has consolidated its position in Punjab in recent months.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress is also facing a threat from the Aam Aadmi Party, which has consolidated its position in Punjab in recent months.
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