Conduct dope tests on Youth Congress leaders: Sukhbir to Rahul

With Rahul Gandhi reiterating his concern for the growing drugs abuse menace in Punjab, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday asked the Congress vice president to get a dope test done on the state's Youth Congress leaders first.

"Rahul Gandhi, who is out to defame Punjab by branding its youth as drug addicts, is the biggest enemy of the state and he has given proof of his being anti-Punjab and anti-Sikh through such ideology," Badal told the media after offering prayers at the Golden Temple here.

"If the Congress scion really believes about the presence of drugs in Punjab, then he would do very well to conduct dope tests on Youth Congress leaders and if anybody among them tests positive, then it will be construed as the presence of drugs in Punjab," Badal said, mocking at the statements made by Gandhi here last week.

Badal claimed that Punjab was on the path to development and achieving milestones while the Congress leadership was out to brand the state as a drugs haven.

"How can a community like Punjabis, known for its bravery and feeding the whole nation, be branded as drug addict?" Badal asked.

Badal, who is the Shiromani Akali Dal president, said the summons issued by a Ludhiana court to Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh's son Raninder Singh, regarding foreign bank accounts, had exposed the Congress leaders.

The deputy chief minister said the controversy over the SYL canal was unnecessary.

"There never was a need for this canal nor would it be allowed to be constructed even if sacrifices had to be made," he said.