A day after Congress’ Tarn Taran district president Sukhpal Singh Bhullar proposed ‘licenced poppy husk vends’ in Punjab, the Pradesh Congress Committee president Partap Singh Bajwa on Thursday issued him a show cause notice for going against the party lines on the issue of drugs.
The notice was issued to Bhullar “for promising licenced poppy husk vends and allowing liquor distillation for personal consumption”. “Congress has always been committed to eradication of drug scourge as a policy and fighting relentlessly against this menace that is destroying the very vitals of the society,” he said.
Bajwa made it clear that the line taken by Bhullar was against the very ethos of the Congress.
Bhullar has been issued notice to reply within seven days as to why action should not be taken against him for asking the people to endorse his promise of opening of vends to sell poppy husk and allow distillation of country liquor for personal consumption at a party rally at Amarkot in Tarn Taran district on Tuesday.
The Amarkot rally was addressed by former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, known to be Bajwa’s arch-rival within the
party. Even as Capt Amarinder did not react on Bhullar’s statement, he opposition parties in the state lashed out on the Congress for the same.
“It is our solemn commitment to the people that the Congress after coming to power in Punjab in 2017 Assembly elections will enact special laws against offences related to drugs and set up special courts,” said Bajwa.
He added that it was Congress party’s guarantee to wipe out this scourge from Punjab that is now a blot on the face of this once the most prosperous state for which the present Akali Dal-BJP alliance government is responsible as the involvement of the leaders from the two parties in drug trade has repeatedly been established.
Bajwa made it clear that what Bhullar said at Amarkot could be the views of an individual from which the party completely dissociates itself.
“I have been asked as to how could he violate the party discipline and make such promises to the people despite his being aware that the Congress has persistently been campaigning against drugs at every level and demanding CBI probe monitored by the judiciary in view of the involvement of ruling alliance’s biggies,” said Bajwa.
He reiterated that that the Congress would continue its relentless battle against drugs and promised a drug free Punjab after the elections.