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He said if voted to power, the BJP-led alliance will take the state on a path of development.
He took on the AAP for promising ”freebies” for different sections of society and said, ”There is difference between empowerment and freebies.” ”Punjab has Rs 3 lakh crore debt. They are not going to give anything to Punjab but will surely take away even what is left,” he told reporters here.
Rathore said the AAP was talking about wiping out the drug menace in Punjab but questioned the party’s intent.
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He said, ”(There are) sand mafia, drug mafia, today there are all kinds of the mafia in Punjab.” Replying to a question, he said everyone knew the state of affairs in the Punjab Congress. ”They only want to grab power somehow,” the BJP leader said.
He said both Congress and the AAP were making ”false promises” to the people as they want to ”grab power”.
On the other hand, he said, the BJP has a clear track record and the nation has moved ahead in every sector under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
”See the state of Punjab’s economy today. Only good leadership can solve the problems confronting the state,” the ex-Army officer and Olympic medalist told reporters.
The BJP is fighting the February 20 polls in Punjab in alliance with former chief minister Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led SAD (Sanyukt).
On a question about Amarinder Singh, Rathore said, ”He has a lot of respect in Punjab. He is a nationalist and one big reason the Congress removed him was that he does not follow diktats of the leadership.” ”The Congress leadership did not even allow former prime minister Manmohan Singh to work freely,” he claimed.
He said Punjab once used to be at the forefront in all fields, be it agriculture, industries power, sports. Its lost glory has to be restored, he said.
”It is a very important decision which the people of Punjab have to take today. Their one decision will decide the state’s future… Punjab was known as the land of Dara Singh, Milkha Singh, Abhinav Bindra and is known for our brave soldiers. It is not the land where there should be gang wars,” he said.
”I have an Army and sports background and because of this I have a lot of friends in Punjab as there are many people of a background in Army and sports,” Rathore said.
”Punjabis have sacrificed their lives for the sake of this nation and sportspersons have given their sweat to bring laurels for the country,” he noted.