Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over the state's drug menace and asked who would protect those speaking out against it, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
His remarks came after anti-drug campaigner Parvinder Singh, also known as Jhota, was shot dead in broad daylight in a busy market in Punjab's Mansa district on Tuesday.
"Raising a voice against drugs in Punjab has now become a death sentence. And this is happening under the rule of Bhagwant Mann's AAP government," Gandhi said in a Hindi post on X.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said Jhota, who ran the ‘Stop Drugs, Give Employment’ campaign, was shot dead in full public view.
A video of the shooting appeared on Facebook earlier this week. It showed that the incident followed a heated exchange between Jhota and the alleged assailant, who owns a chemist shop.
Gandhi also referred to other recent incidents in Punjab. "Sangrur — the Chief Minister's own district: Labourer Gulzar Singh raised the issue of drugs in the village in front of the minister. The family alleges that afterwards, he was pressured to apologise. He took his own life," he said.
He said there were also allegations of custodial torture against Mohanjeet Singh in Sangrur after he spoke out against drugs. The case is now before the high court.
"And there's one more thing in Jhota's story. When he lodged a complaint, an FIR was registered, and later the police booked Jhota. In a government where even the complainant becomes the accused, why wouldn't the drug peddlers roam fearlessly?" Gandhi said.
"CM Bhagwant Mann, answer this: Who will protect those fighting against drugs?" he asked.
"The Congress will not sit easy without dismantling this drug empire that is destroying the future of Punjab's youth," Gandhi said.
Jhota was known for speaking out against drug abuse and the illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops. Ashwani Kumar, the owner of a medical store, allegedly shot him after Jhota questioned him about selling addictive drugs to an elderly man, PTI reported.
Kumar was arrested from Salasar in Rajasthan on Wednesday as anger over the killing spilt onto the streets. A mob set his shop on fire, while the authorities demolished a portion of his house.
Jhota's father called for a ‘Punjab bandh’ on Thursday. The Congress, Akali Dal, BJP, Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, farmers' body Samyukta Kisan Morcha and state government employees' unions extended support to the call. The family has also refused to cremate Jhota's body.
Bathinda Range Deputy Inspector General Harjit Singh told PTI that a first information report had been registered against two people in connection with the murder.
The killing of Jhota has prompted protests and political criticism, with Gandhi questioning the Mann government over the safety of people campaigning against drugs in Punjab.
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