Drugs spreading tentacles in Dabwali

Deepender Deswal

The home segment of the Chautalas — Dabwali Assembly segment — is located at the far end of the state next to the Punjab and Rajasthan borders.

It has been the hub of power politics as a number of top politicians, including former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal and his family members, former MLAs Brij Lal Godara, Mani Ram and Dr Sita Ram, have risen from this segment.

The constituency comprising 70 villages and Dabwali, which is a subdivision, and Mandi township, has remained off the development track despite being a rich agricultural belt for cotton, wheat and kinnow.

The region has also been deprived of industrial growth even though farmers have been urging the government to provide incentives for setting up agriculture-based industries, especially cotton units and fruit-processing units.

Unfortunately, residents alleged that a nexus of the drug peddlers with the police and politicians have turned the entire region into a ‘chitta’ hub. 

“Dabwali region has become a transit route for supply of drugs in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. The incident of Desu Jodha earlier this week when a family and supporters of drug peddlers engaged in a shootout with a team of the Punjab Police which had come to raid a hideout. It resulted in the death of a person and injury to several policemen, exposing the state of affairs,” said Pooran Singh, a resident of Dabwali. 

He said that Chautala clan, including Devi Lal who remained Chief Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, his sons former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, Pratap Chautala and Ranjit Chautala, OP Chautala’s sons Ajay Singh and Abhay Singh, Ajay’s wife Naina Chautala (who was MLA from Dabwali in 2014) and son former Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala besides three other former MLAs Brij Lal Godara, Mani Ram and Dr Sita Ram are natives of Chautala village.

Pooran Singh said that the civic infrastructure is also not up to the mark as the roads are in a dilapidated condition. “Several villages, except the politically influential Chautala village, have been still facing the shortage of potable water and irrigation facilities,” he said. 

Gurdeep Singh, husband of Desu Jodha village sarpanch Paramjeet Kaur, said that there are many families in the village which have been indulging in drug peddling. 

“The drug smugglers are so powerful that they are not afraid of social pressure and even the police. The village panchayat has directed these families to stop drug trade, but they are unperturbed. I received a threat call two months back for raising a voice against them,” he said.

Candidatespeak  

"The BJP government has provided funds worth several crores for development in the segment. Sabji mandi, ITI and water treatment plant have been constructed in Dabwali."           Aditya Devi Lal, BJP candidate 

Oppositionspeak  

"The BJP government is responsible for turning Dabwali into a drug trade hub. The Congress will eradicate drug menace from the region. I am contesting the poll on the plank of ‘Jawani Bachao, Kisani Bachao’."  Amit Sihag, Congress candidate