Punjab Congress senior leader Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday questioned the “much-hyped” anti-drug drive of the State Government, alleging that only small-time helpless drug addicts were arrested while drug suppliers were roaming free.
“It has been over two weeks now, since the State Government had launched the anti-drug crackdown and arrested hundreds of addicts, who are mostly youths who have fallen prey to this scourge,” said the Amritsar MP, in a statement issued on Sunday.“While questioning of the users was understandable but why has the government not caught peddlers and suppliers,” he asked, while pointing out, “after all, these addicts must have provided the clues as from where they get the drugs and who supplies it to them”.
Former Chief Minister said that given the enormity of the drug trade in Punjab, it is obvious that there must be a supply chain right from the producer up to the end consumer.“While they have arrested the consumers, none of the suppliers and producers have been arrested so far,” he said while asking, if the police have arrested anyone why their names are being kept confidential.
The Deputy leader of the Opposition in the lok Sabha reiterated that mere arrest of the addicts will not solve the problem as actually it is the producers and suppliers who need to be arrested and punished.“This is just a panic reaction to the drubbing at the polls and not a serious initiative to cleanse Punjab of this scourge,” he observed, adding that till the “big fish” were not caught, the drug menace will go on unabated.
Capt Amarinder, referring to large scale arrest of young boys who have fallen prey to the addiction, said: “Instead of being kept in the police lock ups and jails, they need to be treated and rehabilitated… These young boys and their families are the worst sufferers and the arrests have further added to their sufferings.”
“The government must take a considerate view in such cases and ensure that instead of solving the problem, they are not complicating it further for the parents of the addicts, who have fallen victim to the drugs,” he added.