AAP government failed to curb drug menace, crores wasted on ad campaign of which CM was poster boy
CHANDIGARH: The anti drug drive 'Yudh Nasheyan Virudh' launched by AAP government in Punjab has lost its shine and purpose as the millions of public funds spent on poster campaign have gone down the drain with tragic deaths of 20 persons in Hooch tragedy that stuck atleast five villages in Majitha sub division in Amritsar district.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was poster boy of the anti-drug drive, of which posters were displayed all over the state, state transport buses, government offices, roadside eateries besides around roads in the Union Terrority of Chandigarh. Mann had declared May 31 as dead line to end drug menace in Punjab. The drive launched on March 30, 2025 with the claim that it would be final blow on the drug mafia. Excise and Taxation minister Harpal Singh Cheema on May 6 claimed that 5, 169 smugglers were arrested since the begining of campaign.
The Hooch tragedy in Majitha had claimed lives of 17 persons and about six persons are in critical state. The illicit liquor racket has sent shock waves in the state and exposed the hollow claims made by the Mann government. This is second big hooch tragedy during the three year tenure of AAP government.
In February 2024 atleast 24 persons had died after consuming spurious liquor in Sunam sub division of Sangrur, the home constituency of Chief Minister. At that time a SIT, headed by ADGP Law and Order Gurinder Singh Dhillon and comprising DIG Patiala Range Harcharan Singh Bhullar, SSP Sangrur Sartaj Chahal, and Additional Commissioner (Excise) Naresh Dubey was formed but it failed to catch the cuplrits of hooch tragedy.
Similar hooch tragedy had happened in July 2020 during the Congress government headed by Capt Amarinder Singh, 120 persons were killed in Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts. Till date the accused who operated illicit liquor mafia were out of reach of police.
In all the cases of mass deaths due to illicit liquor, the SHO level officers were suspended and later reinstated but no punitive action was taken against any junior of supervising police officers. The villagers in Majitha have told the media that police was not taking any action to stop sale of illicit liquor.
Even Chief Minister who visited the tragedy hit villages said that spurious liquor couldn't be sold without the involvement of police and civil authorities. He promised a strict action against the culprits. in a way Mann had accepted that anti drug offensive failed due to involvement of government officers.
The opposition parties have made a scathing attack on the AP government and slammed Bhagwant Mann for his lofty slogans on anti-drug drive and accused him of wasting public money. LoP Partap Singh Bajwa said that drug mafia was operating under the nose of AAP government. he has demanded the resignation of Excise and Taxation minister Harpal Singh Cheema who also heads cabinet sub committee to oversee the 'Youdh Nasheyan Vorudh' campaign which proved a complete failure.
Bikram Singh Majithia senior SAD leader said that drug menace in border areas was going on unabated and claims of AAP government on drugs are totally false. He said that AAP leaders are hand in glove with liquor contractors who are selling liquor on high rates, leaving poor people at the mercy of illicit liquor smugglers.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said that Delhi AAP leaders are responsible for the drug menace and hooch tragedy in Punjab. He said that Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, both accused in liquor scam are controlling the state government withour any constitutional authority.
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu has asked CM to accept the respsosibility of hooch tragedy and step down from his post. He also demanded an independent and time bound judicial probe into Majitha tragedy.