Punjab Congress condemns Bhagwant Mann govt over failure to check drug menace

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, September 8

The state Congress under the leadership of party president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring held a massive ‘Anti-Drug’ protest dharna in Hoshiarpur against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government. The state unit of the party had held its first dharna in Abohar against the drug menace and it stated that it would continue these dharnas across the state if remedial measures were not taken by the state government to save the youth.

He urged CM Bhagwant Mann to convene a special session of Vidhan Sabha to discuss the drug issue in the House and come up with remedial measures, strategy and action plan to save youth that were hooked on drugs. Instead of killing time in the blame game, let’s stand together to fight the issue, said warring, adding that the party was with the people of Punjab and it was ready to assist the CM if he would fight for the youth, make diligent efforts to eliminate the drug menace, save the state and save Punjab’s youth from drugs.

The state Congress chief accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of betraying the people of Punjab with its false promise to eradicate the drug menace in three months. Criticising the AAP government for its failure in tackling the drug menace, Warring said that AAP leaders’ negligence propelled deaths due to drug overdose in the state and their incompetence gave a free hand to the drug peddlers to flourish under their patronage. Warring alleged that more people had died during AAP’s tenure due to drug overdose, adding that whether it was the recent floods, drug menace or crimes, the mounting incidents had exposed that it was least bothered about the precious young lives.

Slamming the AAP leadership for deceiving the people of Punjab, Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, Deputy Leader of Opposition, said the government had failed to fulfil its promise made during the election period. Accusing the AAP government of shielding drug peddlers, Chabbewal said that as per a recent report the Narcotics Control Bureau, in its raids in Ludhiana, found drugs being openly sold at almost 58 liquor vends. Such illegal activities were not possible without the involvement of the government and we would expose all the leaders to save the youth of Punjab, he said.

Warring alleged the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance was to be blamed for spreading drugs in the state and pushing youth towards a death path during its decade-long reign. He said that drug peddlers were flourished under the SAD-BJP regime.

Both Bhagwant Mann and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal made tall promises to eliminate the drug menace in three months, but even after more than one and a half year of AAP government in the state it failed to address the issue that snatched sole bread earners of hundreds of the families in Punjab, said Raja Warring.

Addressing the massive gathering, Warring said that youth were the future of a country, and we would do everything to save our youth from the drug menace.

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