Dope test will lay bare truth: Dy CM

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Tanda (Hoshiarpur), June 30

Pointing out that three youths appearing for police recruitment in neighbouring Haryana had died of drug overuse, Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal today asked why Punjab alone was being portrayed as a land of addicts. Claiming that a mere 1 to 2 per cent of Punjab's youth were consuming drugs, he said a dope test on 6.5 lakh youths attending a police recruitment drive on July 5 would bare the truth.

Speaking on the sidelines of Sangat Darshan at Manngarh village in Tanda, the Deputy CM said, “The dope test on youths by respective CMOs will prove my point and expose the lies spread by the Opposition. The recruitment drive will be a sort of a survey to ascertain if the problem is rampant. I believe the drug problem in Punjab is the minimum when compared with other states in the country.”

Asked why then had he called a meeting of Vice Chancellors of 17 universities to discuss the drug issue, Sukhbir replied, “It’s for asking them to come out with a counter-drive so that Punjab is not defamed.”

On Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh accusing the SAD-BJP government of sidelining good police officers, the Deputy CM said, "Amarinder is once again dreaming of becoming Punjab CM. Even more interesting, his colleagues do not want him to be projected as the party's face for chief ministership. So, his utterances are that of a frustrated man."

Asked about Akali leaders' "involvement" in the Hoshiarpur land scam and the arrest of councillor Sham Lal Daddi in the job recruitment scam, Sukhbir tried to downplay the issues.

"In Punjab, one is either an Akali or a Congress man. Hence, if someone commits a wrong, it does not mean the party is involved," he said, adding that action would be taken after the government received the probe report on the Hoshiarpur land scam.