Bajwa visits woman who lost six sons to drug abuse, questions CM

Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, on Wednesday visited Sherewala village near Sidhwan Bet in Ludhiana district to meet the woman who lost all her six sons to alleged drug addiction and overdose, calling the tragedy a heartbreaking indictment of the Aam Aadmi Party government’s complete failure to tackle the drug menace in the state.

Bajwa met the bereaved woman at her residence and expressed anguish over the irreparable loss suffered by the family. He said the death of six sons in a single household exposes the grim reality behind the government’s tall claims on drug control. During the visit, Bajwa extended monetary assistance to the victim and assured her of continued support.

He also made an appeal to NRIs and the global Punjabi diaspora to come forward and support families destroyed by drugs. “State’s NRIs have always stood by their people in times of crisis. I urge them to help families who have been shattered by the drug menace and abandoned by the state,” he said.

Questioning the state government’s anti-drug campaign, Bajwa said the much-publicised ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh’ drive has failed on the ground. “If the campaign had delivered results, such tragic stories would not be emerging every day. Phase 1 collapsed and instead of admitting failure, the government hurriedly announced Phase 2 to divert attention,” he said, adding that drug overdose deaths continue unabated across Punjab.

Referring to the overall law-and-order situation, Bajwa launched a blistering attack on the Aam Aadmi Party-led government over the sudden rollout of Operation Prahar, questioning why decisive action was taken only after four years of unchecked lawlessness. He asked whether the delay was part of a calculated political strategy.

“If gangsterism and organised crime are such grave threats today, where was this urgency for the past four years? Was chaos allowed to grow deliberately so that last-minute ‘operations’ could later be showcased as achievements?” he asked.

He pointed out that Punjab’s descent into criminal anarchy began almost after AAP assumed power in 2022. “Within weeks, kabaddi player Sandeep Nangal Ambian was assassinated. Just two months later, the nation was shaken by the daylight murder of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. These were early warnings that the government chose to ignore,” he said.

“Gangsters flourished, extortion rackets multiplied and fear became a part of daily life. For nearly four years, the government remained a mute spectator. Now, we are expected to applaud a dramatic crackdown,” he alleged.

Calling Operation Prahar a publicity stunt, Bajwa said it reeks of political timing rather than genuine intent. “It is not governance but optics. No last-minute operation can erase four years of neglect, incompetence and betrayal of state people,” he concluded.

Victim cries for justice

Shinder Kaur has cremated all six of her sons in the past over 12 years. Now, the grieving mother has been crying for justice and demanding the arrest of a female drug supplier who was allegedly responsible for the death of her last surviving child.