Chandigarh, September 14 (Daily Kiran) : In Chandigarh, on September 14, Pratap Singh Bajwa, the Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader, criticized both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the central government. His remarks came ahead of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) statewide campaign titled ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra,’ set to launch on September 18.
Bajwa accused the governments of politicizing the severe drug crisis in Punjab instead of dismantling the drug supply chain. He responded to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s statements, claiming that both governments are attempting to evade accountability by blaming each other.
“Bhagwant Mann cannot shirk his responsibilities by discussing border smuggling, the BSF, and Mundra Port. The BJP cannot absolve itself by pointing fingers at Punjab, as the international border, ports, and national drug trafficking networks fall under the central government’s jurisdiction. The youth of Punjab need action, not a blame game between Mann and Modi,” he stated.
He urged a comparison between Mann’s claims of thousands of arrests and FIRs and the actual situation on the ground. Bajwa posed critical questions: “If the government has genuinely won the battle against drugs, why is ‘chitta’ (synthetic drugs) still so readily available? How many major drug traffickers have been punished? What amount of drug-related money has been seized? How many political and financial networks supporting the mafia have been dismantled?”
Bajwa highlighted the tragic case of Gulzar Singh in Sangrur, calling it a matter of shame for both the AAP and the BJP. Singh had publicly raised concerns about the easy availability of drugs before his death by poisoning. Bajwa insisted on a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding Singh’s death and the allegations of harassment he faced.
He remarked, “CM Mann must stop protecting his favored minister, Harpal Singh Cheema, who was named by Gulzar Singh before his death.”
Bajwa also condemned the police assault on Mohanjeet Singh, who had spoken out against the drug issue. He questioned the message the government sends when a citizen advocating against drugs is beaten in police custody. “Citizens raising their voices against drugs should be protected, not intimidated,” he asserted.
In closing, Bajwa said, “Gulzar Singh raised his voice and died after being harassed by AAP supporters. Mohanjeet Singh spoke out and became a victim of police brutality. Mann and the BJP are busy holding press conferences and blaming each other. This is not a fight against drugs; it is a battle of political narratives.”
Leave a Comment