'This isn't...India?' Rahul Gandhi, cop face-off over Punjab village visit
What's the story
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was stopped from visiting flood-affected areas across the Ravi River in Punjab's Gurdaspur district. The incident took place on Monday when he was on his way to flood-hit districts of Amritsar and Gurdaspur. However, local police allegedly prevented him from going to Toor village, a border village across the Ravi River in Gurdaspur, due to security concerns.
Security concerns
'You can't keep me safe on Indian territory': Gandhi
In a video that has since surfaced, Gandhi can be seen questioning senior police officials about their inability to ensure his safety on Indian territory. "You are telling me that you cannot keep me safe on Indian territory. That is what you are saying," he asked an officer. The officer assured him of their readiness to protect him, to which Gandhi replied, "But you are saying that is India...and you cannot protect me in India."
Political backlash
Congress leaders slam Centre, Punjab government
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and MP Sukhjinder Randhawa were with Gandhi during the incident. Warring later tweeted about the incident, criticizing both the Home Ministry and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab for stopping Gandhi from visiting isolated villages like Toor. Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also slammed the decision, saying it was unfortunate that Gandhi couldn't meet affected families despite ongoing medical camps there.
Twitter Post
Watch the video here
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.
— Amarinder Singh Raja Warring (@RajaBrar_INC) September 15, 2025
These villages remain cut off even… https://t.co/tZWrccqX4U
Accountability evasion
Congress leader calls out AAP, BJP leaders
Senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa also slammed the AAP government for stopping Gandhi. He called the move "shameful and insensitive," alleging that it was a political decision to avoid accountability rather than a security issue. During his visit, Gandhi was briefed by Congress leaders on the extent of the damage. They also claimed that both the state and central governments' negligence had worsened the crisis and that timely intervention could have mitigated up to 75% of the damage.