At the time when his own party leaders were preparing a case to coax him to act against SAD leader Bikarm Majithia, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday maintained that he was waiting for evidence to act against him.
“I personally feel that Bikram Majithia and some other Akali leaders may have been involved in drugs trading and trafficking in the State, but waiting for evidence to act against them,” said Capt Amarinder while replying to a media query in Jalandhar.
The Chief Minister said that his government would assist the Enforcement Directorate in any investigation against Majithia but could not take any action till the completion of such probe.
“The government would not spare Majithia or anyone else proved to be guilty in drugs trading in the state,” he vowed, assuring the Congress MlAs who had been raising the issue and seeking action against Majithia.
“You see we cannot arrest anybody for the sake of arresting him. It needs an intensive investigation, which is still going on against Majithia,” he said.
He added, “If anybody has some concrete information on drug charges against Majithia, he may give it to the Special Task Force (STF), which will investigate it further to get concrete clues against him.”
At the same time, Capt Amarinder maintained that the investigating agencies have several clues against Majithia, but refused to share the same with the media. “There are several agencies involved in the investigation like Income Tax, Revenue Intelligence and Narcotics Bureau, and I have instructed the Punjab DGP to help and assist these agencies in the probe against Majithia, whenever sought,” he added.
CASTIGATES PUNJABI-CANADIAN lEADERS TO WHIP UP COMMUNAl PASSIONS IN INDIA
In response to another question, the Chief Minister castigated Indian-origin Canadian defence minister Harjit Sajjan and newly-elected NDP leader Jagmeet Singh for trying to whip up communal passions in India with their irresponsible and inflammatory statements.
Capt Amarinder said that if these two leaders considered themselves Indians, they should not make statements that can fan disharmony and destabilize Punjab, and in fact the whole of India. They should realize that what they say to their constituency has an adverse effect in India, said the Chief Minister.
GOVT TO EXPlORE WAYS OF BRINGING DOWN DOMESTIC POWER RATES TOO
On the power tariff hike, the Chief Minister said that he also felt strongly about it but the decision was taken by the regulator and his government could not interfere in the matter. However, he reiterated that just as it had capped industry electricity tariff and was providing free power for agriculture, his government would explore ways of bringing down domestic power rates also.\
NO PET TAX
Capt Amarinder categorically ruled out any move to impose a pet tax in the state, saying that there was no discussion or proposal in this regard.
SCHOOl MERGER NOT TO AFFECT STUDENTS
Giving the rationale for the government’s decision to close down some primary schools, the Chief Minister said that the schools were being amalgamated with other institutions for better efficiencies and upgradation of education standards. With the amalgamation planned within a one-km radius, the move would not have any adverse effect on students, he added.