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Congress to gherao Amit Shah during his Punjab visit: Bajwa

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Press Trust of India Muktsar
Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa today said that the party will gherao BJP president Amit Shah whenever he visits the state.

"Congress will gherao Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah whenever he visits the state on drugs and other issues," Bajwa said addressing a political conference here on the occasion of Maghi.

Recently, Shah's plan to launch his party's campaign against drugs from Amritsar on January 22 was postponed in view of the announcement of Delhi elections.

Punjab Congress accused the ruling regime of patronising drug smugglers, saying the problem of drug menace in the state has become acute.
 

"The drug crisis is so deep that even the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to admit the same in his Man Ki Baat programme," he said.

Senior Congress leader and MP Amarinder Singh, who had pitched for removal of Bajwa from state Congress leadership post, was conspicuous by his absence.

On Sunday, Amarinder had even hosted a luncheon meeting at his Moti Bagh palace in Patiala which was attended by 35 sitting MLAs and around 50 ex-MLAs as a show of strength.

Congress legislature party leader Sunil Jakhar was prominent among those who stayed away from today's conference at Muktsar.

However, senior leader and former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Mohinder Singh Kay Pee, former president PPCC, Amarinder Singh Raja, warring MLA and president, Indian Youth Congress, and MLAs Karan Kaur Brar, Ajit Inder Singh Mofar, and Navtej Singh Cheema were present.

Bajwa lashed out at BJP, an ally of SAD in Punjab while accusing it of being equal partner in drug menace.

"BJP is playing double role by continuing to be part of the government while talking of drug menace," he alleged.

Claiming that industrial enviornemnt in Punjab has deriorated during SAD-BJP regime, Bajwa said because of wrong polices and heavy doses of taxes, industry has been facing worst time in the state.

Bajwa said about 18,770 industrial units have closed down their operations in the state in past few years.

Bajwa also hit out at SAD-BJP government for failing in implementing its poll promises including giving old age pension, 'shagun' and unemployed allowance.

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First Published: Jan 14 2015 | 7:55 PM IST

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