RAJASTHAN CM TARGETS AAP OVER DRUG MENACE IN PUNJAB

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma while addressing the congregation during the rally held in Guruharsahai on Sunday

Vikram Ditya Sharma/Ferozepur

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma today accused the AAP government of failing to curb the drug menace in Punjab and called for a sustained campaign to save the state’s youth from addiction.

Addressing a BJP rally at Guruharsahai as part of the party’s ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’, Sharma said the drug problem was affecting not just individuals but entire families and society. He said the AAP had promised to make Punjab drug-free after coming to power, but “nothing has been done in reality”.

Sharma said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government was committed to making India and Punjab drug-free and the BJP was reaching villages and households to create awareness against drugs. He said a zero-tolerance approach was needed against traffickers and the entire drug supply network, along with treatment, rehabilitation and awareness programmes.

Referring to observations made by courts on the handling of the drug issue, Sharma said these should be taken seriously. He appealed to people to join the campaign and spread the message of “Say No to Drugs” across Punjab.

Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu said the drug problem could not be resolved through speeches and claims alone. He called for action against traffickers and suppliers and said the police should be allowed to act without political interference.

Former Cabinet Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi said saving Punjab’s youth was essential for protecting its agriculture and farming sector. He also questioned the present government over what he termed “lopsided development” in the Guruharsahai area.

Earlier, Sodhi and BJP workers received Sharma at the helipad, from where he left for Mamdot and Guruharsahai to attend two events as part of the BJP’s anti-drug campaign in the state.