New Delhi, Feb 14 (Agency) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched a fierce attack on Congress leadership in Punjab, saying “the party can do no good to the state as long as it is under the grip of a family”. The Prime Minister was addressing a rally in Jalandhar in his visit to the state, after the security breach last month. “We constituted an SIT to probe the 1984 riots. Congress has always rubbed salt on your wounds by giving bigger posts to the accused of the riots. The family that controls Congress, keeps taking revenge from Punjab,” he said, seeking votes for a “Nava Punjab”. The PM also accused the Congress leadership of humiliating Capt Amarinder Singh, as he was not ready to be “remote controlled” by the family. “They have removed Capt Singh for following the federal structure of India. All Congress governments are remote-controlled from Delhi, they are run by a family and not as per the Constitution. They wanted the Punjab government to be remote-controlled by the family,” PM said explaining why the Captain was removed from Chief Ministership by the Congress leadership. “When the sinful deeds cross there limits, it gets back and punishes, Congress is facing that backlash,” he said.
Asking the electorate to vote for a stable Punjab the PM said “those fighting among themselves cannot give a stable government to Punjab.” He said, “Punjab needs a government that works seriously keeping in mind security of the country. The history of the Congress is witness to the fact that it can never work for Punjab. And whoever wants to work, it puts obstacles before him.” The PM said that Congress leaders call Indian Army officers gunda. “We secure the borders of the country. We give rights to the security forces. But their leaders call Indian Army officers gunda. They raise questions on martyrdom of our soldiers. The intention of such people is in question…. These are the same people who raised questioned over surgical strike by the Indian Army,” he said. In an apparent attack on both AAP and Congress, the PM said, “Punjab will not provide opportunity to secessionists and opportunists.” Making a fervent appeal to the women in Punjab, the Prime Minister said that he “wanted to save the youth from the menace of drugs”. “I want to save the youth of Punjab. I want to devote my life for you people. It’s not a question of power, you have already made me the Prime Minister. For a nava (new) Punjab, vote for NDA,” he said. He said BJP will make Punjab free from mafia and will improve connectivity in the state, adding that the double engine government was fully devoted for the well-being of small famers.