AAP govt silent despite bloodshed; uproot this BJP B-team from Punjab: Kharge

Barnala, Feb 28 (PTI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday slammed the AAP government in Punjab for not acting to curb "rising incidents of extortion threats, drug trafficking and arms smuggling along the border".

The AAP was the "B-team" of the BJP, Kharge said, targeting both parties specifically for the drugs coming into the state.

"Today there is so much bloodshed and shootings everywhere. People are being killed and women are being raped but still the government here is silent," he said, addressing a Kisan Mahachaupal rally here.

Kharge's remarks comes amid a controversy over Assistant Sub-Inspector Gurnam Singh and home guard Ashok Kumar were found dead this Sunday with gunshot wounds inside a checkpost in Adhian village, about 2 km from the International Border with Pakistan.

He expressed serious concern over the law and order situation in Punjab, pointing to incidents of "extortion threats, drug trafficking and arms smuggling along the border".

The Congress leader asked how have drugs spread as much as they have in the state, and if Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's government is doing anything about it.

"How drugs are coming from outside? People of both Modi and AAP are supporting it. Both the governments talk big, but are not able to check the drug menace, nor do they want to stop it," Kharge alleged.

Why has the Centre not been able to stop drugs coming from across the border, he asked.

"The government here (Punjab) is the B team of the BJP," he said. "We have to protect our future generation and not destroy them." "If Punjab is safe, then country is safe. When Punjab is united, entire country is united. We have to bring a good and strong government," he said, appealing to the people to bring the Congress to power in the 2027 assembly elections.

"You will have to uproot this 'B' team of BJP. You will also have to uproot the BJP under Modi's leadership," the Congress chief said.

Criticising the interim India-US trade deal he said, the Centre has "surrendered" national interests before US President Donald Trump and opened Indian markets to American agricultural products.

He said the agreement would adversely impact farmers, traders, MSMEs and sectors such as textiles, leather, plastics and machinery, calling the trade deal "anti-farmers".

"When food grains from other countries will come who will buy the local produce, how will they get the right price. Will farmers get the MSP? This is a conspiracy to enslave our farmers," the Congress president said. "We will have to fight this." Kharge said the erstwhile Congress-led government at the Centre brought the Food Security Act, rural employment scheme, MGNREGA, and gave "free and compulsory education" to children under the Right to Education Act.

"What did the BJP government do? What have they done for the poor?" he asked. "The only thing they have done is divisive politics of Hindu-Muslim." PTI CHS SUN VSD SKY SKY