Alleges AAP Leaders’ Involvement in Spurious Liquor Trade Leading to 27 Deaths
NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing, Ravneet Singh Bittu, has strongly criticized Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Chief Minister, questioning his authority to launch a 'Nasha Mukti Yatra' in Punjab. Bittu raised concerns over Kejriwal’s alleged involvement in the Delhi drug racket case, in which he is currently out on bail, and called the initiative a mere publicity stunt.
Bittu stated that Kejriwal holds no constitutional post in Punjab and questioned his moral standing in addressing drug issues in the state. He pointed out that the AAP government has lost credibility after the recent spurious liquor tragedy in Punjab, where 27 people lost their lives due to consumption of illicit alcohol allegedly manufactured with smuggled methanol under the patronage of AAP leaders. Bittu claimed that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has ceded his authority to the Delhi liquor mafia, rendering himself powerless against rampant drug and liquor smuggling.
Highlighting Kejriwal’s event at Nagroa village in Nawanshahr, where he administered an anti-drug oath to villagers, Bittu termed it a farce. “The people attending his event were not drug addicts. How does it help to administer an oath to non-addicts when the real culprits – the drug mafia allegedly backed by AAP leaders – remain untouched?” Bittu asked, emphasizing that Kejriwal should first clear his name in the Delhi drug case before preaching to Punjabis.
Bittu also drew attention to his own anti-drug march conducted across Punjab in 2009, asserting that the problem was not the people but the unchecked supply of drugs facilitated by corrupt networks. He criticized the AAP government for failing to address key issues such as unemployment, illegal mining, gang culture, and corruption, accusing them of running misleading media campaigns instead of taking concrete action.
Furthermore, Bittu dismissed the Punjab government’s claims of successful drug seizures as a smokescreen, alleging that a well-organized drug and liquor racket continues to operate in the state under AAP’s watch. He cited reports that several AAP MLAs were allegedly involved in drug trafficking, yet no action had been taken against them.
The minister also referenced Amritsar MLA Kunwar Vijay Partap’s accusations against Kejriwal, alleging that the AAP leader was shielding criminals and drug traffickers. Bittu questioned the withdrawal of security for Jalandhar MLA, hinting at possible criminal links. “Why was the security of the Jalandhar MLA withdrawn? Is he involved in serious crimes?” he asked, demanding an explanation from Kejriwal.