"Is It Not India?" Rahul Gandhi To Cop When Stopped From Visiting Punjab Village
The Congress on Monday accused the Punjab Police of not allowing party leader Rahul Gandhi to meet flood-affected villagers across the Ravi river in Gurdaspur district.
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Rahul Gandhi questioning police officials after being stopped
Chandigarh:
Congress party officials have alleged that Punjab Police prevented Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi from meeting flood victims living across the Ravi river in Gurdaspur district on Monday.
During his visit to flood-affected regions in Punjab, Mr Gandhi successfully visited Ghonewal village in Amritsar and Gurchak village in Gurdaspur. However, according to Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, authorities blocked Mr Gandhi from reaching Toor, a border village across the Ravi river, citing security concerns.
A video has surfaced showing Mr Gandhi confronting senior police officials about the restriction. "You are telling me that you cannot keep me safe on Indian territory. That is what you are saying," Mr Gandhi challenged a Punjab Police officer.
The officer responded, "We are always ready to protect you."
Mr Gandhi persisted, "But you are saying that is India (while pointing towards the village across Ravi river) and you cannot protect me in India." He further questioned, "Is it not India," while accompanied by state Congress chief Warring and MP Sukhjinder Randhawa.
Sad and unfortunate that @HMOIndia in collusion with @AAPPunjab government in Punjab scuttled @RahulGandhi Ji's visit to the isolated villages like 'Toor', which are still cut off from the mainland and can be reached out only through boats.These villages remain cut off even… https://t.co/tZWrccqX4U
— Amarinder Singh Raja Warring (@RajaBrar_INC) September 15, 2025
"You want to say that the LoP (Leader of Opposition) cannot go because Punjab Police is unable to protect," added Mr Gandhi.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi later criticized the Punjab government for blocking Gandhi's attempt to visit the affected families across the river. "Our own people stay there. He (Gandhi) wanted to enquire about their well-being. We have been holding a medical camp there for the past three-days. It is unfortunate that he was not being allowed to meet people," Mr Channi told reporters.
Punjab Congress president Warring emphasized that Mr Gandhi simply wanted to assess the problems facing residents across the Ravi river. "Security (people) is saying that you cannot go. There is a threat. If Rahul Gandhi has a threat from Pakistan in India and if we are not safe in India then where are we safe," he questioned.
Senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa strongly condemned the AAP government's decision, describing it as "shameful and insensitive." Mr Bajwa claimed the government was using "flimsy security pretexts" to prevent Mr Gandhi from reaching the worst-affected areas.
"This was not a security issue, it was a political decision to avoid accountability," alleged Mr Bajwa.
He further stated that both AAP and BJP leaders had failed to visit the border villages severely impacted by flooding. "These are our people, our fellow Indians. Just because they live near the border does not make them less deserving of help," Mr Bajwa emphasized.