SAD nails Rahul Gandhi's 'hypocritical concern' for Punjab's farmers, issues 1984 reminder

On Friday, SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal alleged that Rahul Gandhi was being hypocritical for showing concerns over Punjabi people being allegedly branded as pro-Khalistan. This came hours after Gandhi participated in a protest outside Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's official residence as a part of the Congress party's 'Speak Up For Kisan Adhikar' campaign. Referring to the Punjab policy of the Union government during the tenure of ex-PM Indira Gandhi, Badal questioned the Wayanad MP on why his grandmother viewed the people of the state as Khalistanis. 

Indira Gandhi had ordered Operation Blue Star under which the Indian Army entered the Golden Temple in 1984 to flush out the terrorists led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who wanted a carve out a sovereign state for the Sikh community. Moreover, the SAD leader invoked the 1984 anti-Sikh riots to accuse the former Congress president's father Rajiv Gandhi of ensuring the killing of thousands of Punjabis after Indira Gandhi's assassination. She also castigated Rahul Gandhi for his claim in 2012 that 7 out of 10 youth in Punjab are under the influence of drugs. According to the ex-Union Minister, the Wayanad MP should speak about the plight of Punjab's farmers only after he offers an explanation in this regard. 

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'Superficial thinking'

Flanked by his sister Priyanka Vadra, Rahul Gandhi addressed a press briefing earlier in the day after showing solidarity with the protesting farmers. Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of favouring certain industrialists, he affirmed that the country is run owing to the efforts of farmers, labourers and youth. Furthermore, he contended that the BJP leaders who labelled all the protesters from Punjab as Khalistanis should be ashamed of themselves. 

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi remarked, "Punjab and Haryana provide food to the people of this country. This country cannot run without food. PM has the misunderstanding that 3-4 industrialists can run the country. This is very superficial thinking. The country is being run by labourers and farmers. The country is being run by the youth."

"Now, India's farmers have become Khalistanis. What are you (Centre) saying? Lakhs of farmers are coming out and you are calling them Khalistanis. At least have some shame. Their sons are standing at the borders," he added.

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