- BJP will contest elections on drug issue in Punjab
- Home Minister said – Those who promote drug trade cannot make Punjab drug free
Chandigarh. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in a public meeting organized on the concluding day of ‘Drug Free Punjab Yatra’ in Jalandhar on Wednesday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will fight the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections on the issue of drug addiction. He said that if BJP government is formed in Punjab, then a target has been set to make the state completely drug free by December 31, 2029.
Amit Shah accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of failing to stop the drug problem in Punjab. Taking aim at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, he said that those who cannot stop the drug trade cannot make Punjab drug-free.
The Union Home Minister also attacked the AAP government while mentioning the alleged liquor scam in Delhi. He said that those promoting drug trade cannot be expected to make Punjab drug free.
Referring to the role of soldiers and farmers of Punjab, the Home Minister said that the soldiers of the state contribute significantly to the security of the country and the farmers have played a big role in filling the grain reserves of the country. He claimed that the Punjab government had promised farmers MSP on 26 crops, but did not fulfill it. He said that if the BJP government is formed, work will be done towards a permanent solution to the issues related to farmers.
Referring to the problem of drug addiction among the youth, Amit Shah said that the untimely death of a promising youth due to drug addiction is very sad. Appealing to the youth to support BJP, he said that efforts will be made to free them from the quagmire of drugs and provide them with proper employment opportunities.
The Union Home Minister claimed that in the last three years the Punjab government did not hold a single meeting related to anti-drugs. The state government rejected the Centre’s proposal to open the office of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Jalandhar. He also described women’s safety as a serious issue and said that it will be given priority if the BJP government is formed.
The Home Minister also targeted the Punjab government over issues related to alleged advertisement allocation, land and nutrition. He questioned Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann about the expenditure on advertising, the promise of providing 25 lakh jobs and the claim of setting up 16 medical colleges in the state. He also raised questions on the state government regarding the income from illegal mining.
Amit Shah said that if BJP government is formed, strict action will be taken against drug dealers. Assuring the mothers and sisters of Punjab, he said that after December 31, 2029, there will be no businessman left to provide ‘Chitta’ to their children and those doing drug business will be sent to jail. This is the election goal and promise declared by BJP.
It is noteworthy that BJP’s ‘Drug Free Punjab Yatra’ started on September 18. According to the party, the yatra, carried out in four phases, covered a distance of about 4,000 kilometers covering all 117 assembly seats of Punjab. The yatra concluded with Amit Shah’s meeting in Jalandhar.