Mohali: Rahul Gandhi calls me a terrorist, claimed Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal at an election rally in Punjab’s Mohali. “He will get to know on February 20,” he added. Voting for 117 assembly seats in the state will be held in a single phase on February 20. Mr Kejriwal accused the ruling Congress of terrorising businessmen and even common people. “If a journalist asks them who they’ll vote for, they are scared to even say the truth,” he said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had attacked Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, seemingly accusing the rival of being soft on terrorists and untrustworthy on national security.
“Whatever happens, a leader of Congress will never be seen at the house of a terrorist. The biggest leader of the Jhaadu (the election symbol of the AAP) can be found at the home of a terrorist. That’s the truth,” Mr Gandhi had said at a rally in Barnala on Tuesday.
The Wayanad MP’s remark was a dig at Mr Kejriwal who had stayed overnight at the residence of a former Khalistani terrorist in Punjab’s Moga during the 2017 elections.
Being a border state, and with frequent drone interceptions and cross border terror activities recently, national security is a big poll issue during this election in Punjab. Former Congress chief minister Amarinder Singh, who was forced to resign and subsequently formed his own party, had backed the Centre’s move to increased the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force in the state in the face of fierce opposition from the ruling party. Rahul Gandhi had in his rally yesterday said that those seeking “one chance” to form the government will “destroy Punjab” and the state “will burn”.
“Punjab is a border and sensitive state and only the Congress party understands Punjab and can maintain peace in the state… we know if peace is gone then there will be nothing left,” he had said.
Mr Kejriwal, with AAP chief minister candidate Bhagwant Mann at his side, vowed to end the “parcha raj” in Punjab if his party comes to power, accusing the Congress party of filing false cases against businessmen and critics of the state government.
“The sitting Mayor of Amritsar has joined AAP today, this will strengthen our party further,” the AAP boss said while making his election pitch, and added that steps will be taken to fulfil the people’s demand of making Amritsar a “world icon city”.
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