Moga, Oct 17 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot slammed the AAP government on Saturday, alleging that the state’s law-and-order situation has “collapsed” and that people have “lost trust” in the Bhagwant Mann dispensation.
Pilot is on a five-day visit to Punjab to meet families of gang violence victims, seeking justice for them. On the second day of his visit, Pilot met the family of a jeweller — Parminder Singh — who was killed in June 2023 in Moga.
Speaking to reporters, Pilot targeted the Mann government over law and order, saying it is a state subject.
“Bullets are openly fired daily in Barnala, Batala, or Moga, extortion is demanded, and many people do not inform police out of fear. But today the situation that has emerged is worrisome for the coming generation,” Pilot said.
Lashing out at the AAP, Pilot said those who came to power four-and-a-half years ago only “protected, promoted and patronised” their leaders from Delhi and spent taxpayers’ money on “cleaning up” their images.
“People are fed up with drugs. Money from drugs and extortion is used to get arms. People have lost trust in the AAP government,” he claimed.
The Mann government’s only focus is publishing photos in newspaper advertisements and getting votes, while people have been left to their own fate, Pilot said. Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh accompanied him.
Pilot also criticised the BJP government at the Centre over drug smuggling from across the border.
He said, “What has the government of India done in the last 12 years to check supplies of drugs and weapons from across the border? What is the home ministry doing?” The Congress leader said neither the AAP government nor the BJP government did anything to crush the drug and arms supply nexus and network.
Replying to a question, Pilot said if the people of Punjab place their trust in us and vote for us, we will create a governance model specifically for law and order and the ‘chitta’ (synthetic drugs) issues.
“I do not want to give false assurances, but the truth is that ever since Mann became the chief minister, the situation has worsened. Police personnel are being shot at, and police posts are being attacked. This is a complete collapse of law and order,” Pilot alleged.
Responding to a question, Pilot said Rahul Gandhi will soon visit Punjab.
In response to another question, Pilot said the Punjab chief minister also holds the home portfolio.
“When Gulzar Singh (in Sangrur) died by suicide after consuming poison, and we went to console his family and demand justice, the chief minister said opposition leaders play politics over bodies. In a democracy, establishing accountability for the government, demanding justice, and protesting are constitutional rights,” he said.
“I feel the chief minister is completely rattled now because no matter how much he promotes himself, the reality on the ground is that people are miserable today,” he said. PTI CHS ASD
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