Captain Amarinder Singh has been playing it safe for quite some time now. On the issue of the farmers’ agitation, the Punjab Chief Minister has toned down his rhetoric tremendously, especially when compared to the initial days of the protests. TFI had earlier reported how Captain was in favour of the Centre and protesting farmers’ unions finding a middle ground, which shouldn’t necessarily be the repeal of the three farm reforms. Now, however, Captain Amarinder Singh has put the Congress party, particularly the Gandhi family in a fix.
Rahul Gandhi has been working overtime to diminish the stature of Captain Amarinder Singh. While the Congress leadership believes that their support for the farmers will yield national political brownie points, Captain Amarinder Singh is well aware that the party’s fortunes in the state are about to take a massive hit if a resolution is not reached upon soon. Therefore, Captain, in his latest move to keep the Gandhis out of his territory, said that Pakistan was trying to infiltrate into the state and country in general ever since the farmers’ protests first began.
Remember, the Gandhis are going all out in their support for the agitating farmers and demanding a repeal of the three farm laws despite promising for years on end to bring in similar agricultural reforms themselves. Captain Amarinder Singh, on the other hand, has been taking a very balanced view of all that is happening in and around Punjab. Therefore, to put Rahul Gandhi in a tough spot, he recently revealed that Pakistani elements having hijacked the protests could be a real possibility.
Now, it would be suicidal for Rahul Gandhi to defend the protests in light of such revelations. If he chooses to distance himself from the protests hereon, he would be effectively surrendering to Captain Amarinder’s Singh line, while a continuance of support on his part to the agitations would most definitely result in a disaster for the Congress.
Captain said, “There has been a spurt in ‘drone delivery’ since the farmers’ agitation started and ‘weapons, money and heroine’ have been coming in. Pakistan has sleeper cells which they can activate because a disturbed Punjab suits Pakistan’s policy.” The Punjab chief minister added, “Since the farmers’ struggle started in October, the number of weaponries that are coming to Punjab (from Pakistan) has increased. It is drones that are bringing it in. That was what was concerning me because those drones that bring weapons are meant for something. They are not sent as a present here. We may capture 30 drones, but there are 20-30 that may get past us, to their objectives. I have been warning the government for a long time that Pakistan is trying to infiltrate.”
Rahul Gandhi, on his part, has even taken to subtly allege that the events which unfolded at the Red Fort on Republic Day were in fact orchestrated by the Modi government to derail the farmers’ agitation. “Why were people allowed in the Red Fort? Why weren’t they stopped? Ask the Home Minister what the objective was, of letting those people inside the premises,” the former Congress President said. Of course, while keeping himself miles away from such bizarre assertions, Captain has also openly defied the Congress party line on the issue.
It would not be hyperbole to say that Rahul Gandhi wished to once again remake his image as a national leader. He tried doing so at the expense of Captain Amarinder Singh’s political fortunes this time around. However, Captain has foiled all such plans of the Gandhi prince and has instead put his party in a fix.
Absolutely correct