Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
A political face-off has erupted between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) following the suicide of Gulzar Singh, a labourer from Toor Banjara in Sangrur, who allegedly took the extreme step while naming a Punjab minister.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Punjab government of following a “dangerous pattern” of responding to questions over government failures with threats and torture. He alleged that Gulzar Singh was pressured to apologise and harassed after raising questions about the drug menace.
Rahul Gandhi demanded an impartial investigation into Gulzar Singh’s death and sought justice for his family. He also called for the resignation of the Finance Minister and demanded that the minister’s name be included in the FIR.
Responding to the allegations, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann hit back at Rahul Gandhi, saying, “Rahul ji, do not do politics over dead bodies. Punjabis do not like this kind of politics.”
Mann said that all accused in the case had already been arrested and assured that drug traffickers would not be spared at any cost.
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also criticised Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of indulging in “dirty politics” over Gulzar Singh’s death. Kejriwal said the Punjab government was fighting a decisive battle against drugs and working to eliminate the drug menace that had spread during previous Congress, Akali Dal and BJP governments.
Kejriwal further said that no minister or MLA of the present Punjab government had any connection with Gulzar Singh’s death.
