Days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit, the Aam Aadmi Party has upped its ante against the BJP-led Centre, accusing it of deliberately ignoring Punjab and “aiding a gangster, lodged in Sabarmati Jail of Gujarat, to spread his drug business in the state”.
The state’s ruling party has also accused the Central government of failing to act, as Punjab is being used as a “dumping ground” for drugs and arms.
“The Centre is not even allowing our flagship health insurance scheme to be implemented in PGI, Chandigarh—a project set up for Punjab several decades ago. If this is not discrimination, what else is?” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the state and its capital, Chandigarh, on July 17. He will be inaugurating healthcare projects in Chandigarh and a renovated railway station in Jalandhar, besides flagging off a train from Chheharta (Amritsar) to Varanasi.
“Punjab and its youth are being deliberately targeted. Eighty percent of drugs being smuggled from across the International Border are being dumped in the state. That is why new drugs like ICE and cocaine are increasingly coming into Punjab,” said Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh, on the sidelines of a press conference called to speak about the initiatives being taken by the AAP government to tackle the drug menace in Punjab.
“The border and the 50 km area inside the border is under the control of the Centre. Yet, drugs and arms are being smuggled through drones and being sold in the state. The Centre has the wherewithal to stop these drones carrying illicit payloads. But it is not being used now, though they did use the technology to stop the drones during Operation Sindoor,” he said.
Dr Balbir Singh, when asked about the recent disclosures made by the FBI regarding Punjab gangsters and their cartels, without naming the gangster, said that the person sitting in the Sabarmati jail of a state which has a double-engine government is now accused by an international agency like the FBI of running a global drug racket.
“The same person is also running his illicit business here in Punjab. We recommend that the Centre sends this person to a Punjab jail. We will not only treat him but also reform him. Not only drugs but illicit arms too are being home-delivered, as revealed in Patiala yesterday. The consignment had come from Madhya Pradesh, another state having a double-engine government,” he said.
Earlier, the Health Minister said that without any help from the Centre, the AAP government here had used a multi-pronged approach to tackle the illicit drug menace.
“The police, health, education, and social security departments are all working in tandem to stop the entry of drugs, treat addicts and rehabilitate them, besides educating people from a young age not to fall prey to drugs. Ever since we launched the 'Yudh Nasheyan Virudh' campaign, we have received massive people’s support. As many as 45,000 tips against drug smugglers/traders were received, based on which we have arrested 22,800 culprits,” he said, adding that 621 people were caught with over 2 kg of drugs each. He added that the highest drug seizures have been made during the AAP government’s tenure at 6,608 kg, compared to 2,412 kg seized during the Congress rule and 2,817 kg seized during the Akali Dal-BJP rule.