New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday slammed the AAP government in Punjab over the death of a villager, who allegedly committed suicide days after he questioned Finance Minister Harpal Cheema about the rampant sale of drugs in the state, and demanded the sacking of the minister.
The opposition party claimed that the death of Gulzar Singh showed the terrifying and utterly shameful face of the AAP government in Punjab.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said the people are watching everything and every act of oppression and arrogance will have to be accounted for.
“The Terrifying and Utterly Shameful Face of the AAP Government in Punjab! Gulzar Singh, who expressed the agony of his son ruined by drugs (chitta) and openly questioned Finance Minister Harpal Cheema about the rampant sale of drugs, was forced to take his own life,” Ramesh alleged on X.
Singh was pressured to apologise for speaking the truth, the Congress leader claimed.
“In their arrogance of power, AAP leaders have forgotten that in a democracy, the people are supreme. It is shameful that the government, which came to power claiming to eradicate drugs, is now sacrificing those who dare to ask questions,” Ramesh said in his post in Hindi.
The deceased father had clearly stated that Cheema was responsible for his death, Ramesh said.
“We believe that if the AAP government is not colluding with drug mafias, then the concerned minister should be immediately dismissed,” he said.
Just a few days ago, the Punjab Police tortured young Mohanjeet Sheron, who had protested against the drug issue at CM Bhagwant Mann’s event, Ramesh claimed.
Singh, a 47-year-old from Dirba in Punjab’s Sangrur district, died on Monday night after allegedly consuming poison. His family said he had questioned Cheema about the supply of drugs in the area during an event in Dirba on September 6.
