'Punjab should not be run from Delhi': Rahul Gandhi takes dig at CM Bhagwant Mann

HOSHIARPUR/ JALANDHAR: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a dig at the chief minister Bhagwant Mann-led government and advised it to run the state from Punjab and on the directions of people sitting in Delhi." Punjab should be run from Punjab only and not from Delhi," Rahul said while addressing people during his Bharat Jodo Yatra at Khudda Khurd here.
"I want to urge Punjab CM Bhagwnat Mann that he should run the state from Punjab only and should not come under pressure from (Arvind) Kejriwal," he said. Saying that Punjab had its own history, language and way of life, the Congress leader further advised Mann "you should work independently; you should not become remote control of anybody".
"We always followed this philosophy when the Congress formed the government in Punjab. The CM of Punjab should run the state," he added. Meanwhile, referring to the farm movement, Rahul said: "Seven hundred people lost their lives, they were martyred and when I said in the Parliament that we should pay homage to the 700 martyr farmers, the government said there were no martyrs."
"Those farmers were demanding fruit for their tapasya. After two years, the Prime Minister said it was a mistake. He did not talk to the farmers for a minute. I can guarantee that had it been the UPA government and Dr Manmohan Singh would have been the PM, he would have gone to the farmers and spoken to them," he said.
Rahul also referred to the message of Sikh gurus. "This yatra is aimed at opening the shop of love in a bazaar of hate. Gurus showed this path. What they said is happening in this yatra," he said. "
They united the people and this yatra is trying to follow the path shown by them," he added.Navjot Kaur Sidhu also joined Rahul Gandhi during his yatra on Monday. Later her pictures with Rahul were also posted on Navjot Singh Sidhu's Facebook page.
Sidhu is currently lodged at Patiala jail and speculations are rife that he would be released on Republic Day. Congress attacks RSS Meanwhile, Congress leaders attacked the RSS by saying it was not a cultural organisation, but using "cultural symbols to communalise politics".
"In the last few days, we have felt that when the RSS is not attacking Rahul, why should the latter name RSS again and again. But, in reality, RSS is the root. There is no difference between the RSS and the BJP, and attacks are being done by the BJP at the behest of the RSS," said Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, while addressing a press conference in presence of party general secretary Jairam Ramesh and Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring at Kharal Kalan village in the Adampur constituency.
Rahul walked through Adampur constituency in Jalandhar district and reached Tanda in Hoshiarpur district in the evening. In Jalandhar district, the yatra spent three days even as it was suspended for a day due to MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary's death.In Jalandhar alone, the Congress had won five out of nine assembly seats in the 2022 elections.
It won the Adampur seat after a gap of two decades. Sukhwinder Singh Kotli, who was brought in from the BSP was elected from the constituency."We don't see them (BJP and RSS) separately. In our understanding, the RSS is the root and the BJP is its fruit. We are not under any wrong perception," said Kanhaiya."
The RSS says they are a cultural organisation, but their entire ideology is based on politics. Dharma belongs to the country, but not communalism. The RSS uses religious symbols for communalising politics. To use religious symbols for politics is not religion, but politics. The RSS is not a cultural organisation, but uses cultural symbols for political benefit," Kanhaiya argued."
We want to ask if the RSS and the BJP actually believe in the Constitution," he said. Meanwhile, Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said: "Till the Congress and Rahul Gandhi are around, the RSS ideology can't be forced on the country."
"The way they make Hindu versus Muslim, kabristan versus shamshan, mandir versus masjid, and now a similar atmosphere is being created in Punjab. Attempts are being made to break Punjab. A situation is being created where it will be Sikhs versus Hindus or Christians. These things are not good for Punjab," he said.