Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday hit out at the BJP-led Centre and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing them of politicising the drug problem in Punjab and questioning their handling of drug trafficking and gangsters in BJP-ruled states.
Mann said Shah was touring Punjab amid elections and questioned why the Union Home Minister had not visited the state earlier to share the grief of those affected by the drug problem. He also asked why Shah had not visited the families of farmers who died, while targeting the previous Akali-BJP government in Punjab over the growth of the drug trade.
The Chief Minister also raised questions about the flow of drugs from Pakistan across the Punjab border, asking why the Centre had not provided assistance for installing an anti-drone system despite the Border Security Force (BSF) guarding the 50-km border area under discussion.
MANN QUESTIONS CENTRE'S ACTION ON DRUGS
Questioning the Centre's handling of drug trafficking, Mann said drugs continued to enter Punjab from across the Pakistan border despite the BSF's presence. He asked why the government had not taken adequate steps to stop the flow of narcotics and pointed to the lack of assistance for installing an anti-drone system.
Mann also cited the drug problem in other states, saying Rajasthan had the highest level of drug-related activity. He referred to Gujarat's Kandla port, where 3,000 kg of drugs had been seized, while questioning the BJP's criticism of Punjab.
TARGETS BJP-RULED STATES OVER GANGSTERS
Mann also challenged the BJP over law and order, pointing to the presence of gangsters in Haryana. Describing the state as a nursery for gangsters, he questioned the BJP's claims about its handling of law and order.
He alleged that the criticism of Punjab was an attempt to defame his government and questioned where the gangsters were operating and whether they were receiving protection.
RAISES QUESTIONS OVER PREVIOUS AKALI-BJP GOVERNMENT
The Punjab Chief Minister also targeted the previous Akali-BJP government, alleging that the drug trade had grown during its tenure. He questioned why the alliance had not shown the same concern about Punjab's drug problem when it was in power.
Mann's remarks came amid his broader criticism of the Centre and Shah, whom he accused of politicising the issue instead of addressing concerns over drug trafficking, border security and law and order.
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