Rahul Gandhi flags ‘menace of drugs, illegal liquor, farmers plight’ in Gujarat

Amid the sweltering political heat of Gujarat, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has painted a stark picture of a state he says is “sinking” despite the presence of a double-engine government.

On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi highlighted the twin crises of a surging drug and illegal liquor menace and the mounting plight of farmers, asserting that the very soul of Gujarat — the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel — is under threat.

Speaking during the ongoing ‘Jan Aakrosh Yatra’, Rahul Gandhi said the people, particularly women, have repeatedly voiced fears over the deepening shadows of crime and drugs that haunt their communities. “The traditions of truth, morality, and justice that once guided Gujarat are being eroded, and the youth are increasingly being lured into the dark world of drugs and crime,” he lamented in a post on X in Hindi.

Rahul Gandhi further accused the state machinery of turning a blind eye. Women, he said, are taking to the streets in growing numbers because criminals appear to enjoy the protection of those in power, while ordinary citizens face neglect. “Gujarat is asking — why does the BJP government remain silent? Which minister is shielding the perpetrators? Why are the state’s traitors being covered?” he questioned.

The Congress leader also drew attention to the ongoing suffering of farmers. Recent floods, he said, have devastated thousands of families and ruined crops, leaving entire communities in despair. Reflecting on the promises once made by Narendra Modi as Gujarat’s Chief Minister, Gandhi said: “When he spoke of relief packages, hope never wavered. Today, Gujarat is sinking. Despite a double-engine government and Modi as Prime Minister, neither adequate relief nor empathy reaches those in need.”

He added that public outrage is palpable across the state, with families anxious about their children’s futures, demanding answers on drug proliferation and farmers’ distress. “Every family is asking — why aren’t farmers’ loans being waived, why isn’t the drug trade being cleaned up?” Rahul Gandhi said.

Promising to remain steadfast, he concluded that the Congress will continue to listen to the people and relentlessly expose the failures and corruption of the BJP government, pledging to amplify the voices of those who feel unheard.

With PTI inputs