CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann hit back at senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government following the death by suicide of 47-year-old farmer Gulzar Singh, asking him "not to do politics over dead bodies".
Gandhi had launched a fresh attack on the Punjab government after Singh, who had questioned Finance Minister Harpal Cheema about the drug menace, died by suicide.
Responding to Gandhi in a post on X in Hindi, Mann said police have already arrested the accused in the matter. "Rahul Gandhi ji, don't do politics over dead bodies; Punjabis do not like this kind of politics."
Sharing a video clip, Mann said, "Look at this, when Congress leaders went to the victim's village and tried to indulge in this dirty politics, they were chased away by the people."
On Singh's alleged suicide, Mann said police have already arrested all the accused. He held the previous SAD-BJP and Congress governments responsible for the spread of the drug menace in Punjab. "Under my government, no drug trafficker will be spared," he said.
A purported video of Singh's last moments showed the daily wager asking Cheema about the availability of drugs in his area, saying the sarpanch would be responsible for his death and admitting that his son also took drugs.
Gulzar Singh, a 47-year-old Dalit man from Dirba in 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.
As his emotive video went viral, opposition parties, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, cornered the AAP government and demanded a probe. Both BJP and Congress alleged that Singh was pressured into taking his life.
Following a complaint by Singh's family, five people were booked under Section 108 (abetment of suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and under relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Punjab Police have set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by an additional director general of police rank officer to probe the incident.
Earlier, in his post on X, Gandhi said, "A dangerous pattern is emerging in Punjab's AAP government -- if you question government failures, the response will come in the form of threats and torture," Gandhi said, referring to the case of Gulzar Singh.
"For just this, he was tortured and humiliated so much, pressured so intensely to apologise, that he consumed poison. Wandering from one hospital to another, without access to treatment, he ultimately lost the battle for his life," Gandhi.
"Last week, I also spoke with a young Mohanjeet Singh, who was tortured for protesting against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The government's job is to answer to the people, not to crush those who ask questions. May Gulzar Singh ji's family get justice as soon as possible. The Chief Minister should immediately demand the Finance Minister's resignation and ensure an independent and impartial investigation, with his name registered in the FIR," Gandhi said.