Taking a swipe at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that law and order has completely collapsed in Punjab and drug mafia are openly operating across the state. Further, he said police stations are being regularly attacked and extortion demands are openly made across the state.
Participating in a public meeting in Jalandhar, the prime minister also referred to Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma's murder during the 2020 Delhi riots and said an AAP leader, Tahir Hussain, was recently convicted by the court, but the party has challenged the judgment. He accused the AAP of instigating riots and doing vote bank politics.
Without naming anyone, PM Modi also said that an AAP MLA in Gujarat (Chaitar Vasava) was also convicted in an assault case, which is a common thing for the party. Even in Punjab, AAP MLAs were caught openly taking bribe, he said, while adding that Arvind Kejriwal-led party has no intention of serving the people.
"Just look at Punjab: the person appointed as Health Minister had to be dismissed for bribery. One minister is facing serious charges like money laundering. Their MLAs are being caught red-handed accepting bribes. If we keep counting like this, we will find very few people in their government and party who are free from any stain," he said.
The prime minister said the Centre has taken many steps for Punjab development and sent crores of rupees to build roads, canals and mandis, but not a single penny was utilised by the state government. Punjab's economy is collapsing and there is no development but the state government is not bothered about it, he said.
"It is known as a 'Kattar Beimaan Party' (hardcore dishonest party). The Central Government is making every possible effort to ensure that the people of Punjab benefit from all its schemes. Yet, under the rule of this 'Kattar Beimaan Party', a brazen game of plunder is underway," he said.
In his remarks, PM Modi also took a swipe at Congress and said the infighting within the grand old party over its chief ministerial face seems never-ending. He was referring to the internal crisis within Punjab Congress unit where Charanjit Singh Channi's supporters are demanding that he be made party's state unit president.
He urged the people to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying only the saffron party can help India become 'viksit' (developed). "That is why the BJP government began transforming the situation over the past few years. Today, railway stations across the country are undergoing a massive overhaul. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, over 1,300 railway stations are being modernised," he said.
Assembly elections will be held in Punjab early next year, along with those in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.
ALSO READ - PM Modi flags off India's first hydrogen train, says only 3-4 countries are capable of running it
