In a bid to eliminate inter-State smuggling of psychotropic substances, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal on Friday said that the State Government was contemplating to file a public interest litigation in Madhya Pradesh High Court seeking ban on opium and poppy cultivation in the State.
Interacting with mediapersons after inaugurating Akal University, Sukhbir said the decision of Rajasthan High Court placing embargo on poppy cultivation was commendable and now Punjab Government was considering to move to Madhya Pradesh High Court for stopping cultivation of poppy husk and opium.
“There should not be two laws in the country against cultivation of poppy since in some States the cultivation is legal, while it is illegal in others,” he said, adding that there should be uniformity in this regard in the entire country and Punjab is strongly advocating ban on such bitter harvest.
Sukhbir said that Punjab was not producing synthetic drugs but instead it was fighting nation’s war against drugs. “Some anti-State forces, with vested political gains, are trying to defame Punjab and brave Punjabis by dubbing them as addicts,” he said.
DARES CAPT TO COUNT SINGlE ACHIEVEMENT
Ridiculing the false propaganda being launched by Opposition, Sukhbir dared senior Congress leader Capt Amarinder Singh to list a single achievement attained during his tenure. “The sole aim of Capt Amarinder’s rallies in marriage palaces is against PPCC president Partap Singh Bajwa to dethrone him by capturing the leadership of state Congress,” he said.
AAP’S BAllOON HAS BURST
Reacting on the rift between Aam Aadmi Party leadership in Punjab, Sukhbir said that the balloon of AAP has completely burst as the real face of it has been exposed in Delhi. “There is no democracy in AAP since Arvind Kejriwal is running his party like a dictator and the political end of it is not far,” he said. Accusing Kejriwal, the Deputy Chief Minister said that AAP has set aside Rs520 crore for publicity of AAP Government, which proves the difference of world between what he said and what he did.
NO-ONE AllOWED TO DISTURB PEACE
When asked about shifting of prisoners to Punjab from jails of other States, Sukhbir said that there was clear cut verdict of apex court that no State could release the lifetime convicts. “Punjab Government would not allow anyone to disturb communal harmony and law and order in the State,” he said.
GOVT TAKING UP ISSUE OF PUNJABIS BlACKlIST WITH CENTRE
On the issue of Punjabis named in the blacklist, Sukhbir said that the Punjab Government was taking up the issue with the Union Government. There was no need to maintain blacklist and proclaimed offenders should be treated as per law of land and courts could initiate prosecution, he said.