Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal on Thursday asked the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to tell Punjabis what he had done to end the “self-proclaimed” drug menace in Punjab as the one month time promised for this was near ending.
Sukhbir, addressing a gathering on the occasion of Baisakhi, said that Capt Amarinder had sworn on the ‘Gutka sahib” that he would end the self-proclaimed drug menace within one month of coming to power. “Only three days remain for the one month to be over. According to my information, your police has seized only 2.5 kg of heroin,” he said.
Stating that the Congress and Capt Amarinder had misled the people with claims of 70 per cent youth being drug addicts to attain power, Sukhbir said that now Capt Amarinder was saying that drugs were coming from Pakistan. “This is exactly what I said in my capacity as home minister previously,” he added.
The truth was now coming out before the people, said Sukhbir adding that the Congress government was now free to arrest any Akali MlA or former minister who it felt was indulging in drug trade. “But this can be done only if the allegations were true which they clearly aren't,” he added.
SAD president said that like the issue of drugs, allegations of sand and gravel mafia levelled against the Akalis were also getting exposed. It was for the people to see who was indulging in sand and gravel trade and why rates of both commodities had shot up, he said.
“The truth of the matter is that the SAD had brought in immense development be it making the State power surplus or building a modern road network to building new airports. In direct contrast, the Congress did not have any plan to take the State forward,” he said.
He added, “Congressmen are claiming that the treasury is empty. I would like to tell them that they are making this claim since the last 10 years. The same treasury did not stop us from development. Why are they unable to do anythingIJ”
SAD president asked the party rank and file to face any attempt at political vendetta unitedly. “Workers should inform the leadership if any such incident occurred and that he would also reach the spot immediately if needed,” he said.