CHANDIGARH: The Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Partap Singh Bajwa on Sunday accused the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of adopting sheer laxity in curbing the rapidly growing drug abuse in the state.
Citing a news report, Bajwa said that the Punjab witnessed the most drug overdose deaths in the country in the past couple of years. Around six young succumbed to a drug overdose this week.
"Despite numerous claims by the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government, the drug supply chain has not been broken. As per the news report, women in Punjab have also indulged in drug peddling in large numbers. As many 9631women drug peddlers were nabbed in the country and 33 per cent of women belonged to Punjab", Bajwa added.
Senior congress Leader, Bajwa said that before the Punjab Assembly elections in 2022, the National Convener of the AAP, Arvind Kejriwal had vowed to end the drug menace from the state within four months of forming the government. Meanwhile, it has turned out to be a deceitful statement to garner votes.
"In his Independence Day speech of 2023, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann sought another year to end the drug menace. However, he must bear in mind now that more than six months have passed since he made this promise, he has not taken a single step to rein in the drug peddling and drug abuse", Bajwa added.
The opposition leader said that despite having a home portfolio, the Punjab CM Mann has failed miserably to rein in the drug peddling. All he has done is perform futile exercises like cycle rallies to curb drug abuse.