TARN TARAN: Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Ravinder Singh Brahmpura on Tuesday accused local AAP MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura of patronising a "reign of goons, drugs, and mafia" and demanded a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into his alleged links with smugglers who use drones to transport narcotics and weapons.
Addressing a press conference, Brahmpura claimed that following a letter he sent to Governor Gulab Chand Kataria detailing these specific allegations, the Governor's office took cognizance and initiated action.
He stated that subsequently, the Punjab government's Department of Parliamentary Affairs, through Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan's office, directed him to submit a magisterially attested affidavit, which he did on June 30.
"I submitted the affidavit, but since then, the AAP government and the Speaker have been deliberately shielding the tainted MLA, " Brahmpura alleged.
Detailing what he called the government's "most shameful failure, " Brahmpura alleged a major scandal at the de-addiction centres in Tarn Taran and Khadoor Sahib. He claimed that an inquiry by the Deputy Commissioner found that unqualified staff had been hired .
He further alleged that under their watch, Buprenorphine, a tablet used to treat addiction, was being systematically stolen. "The medicine was embezzled by creating fake patient records and then sold on the black market, " Brahmpura stated, calling it an "outright betrayal" of the youth and families of Khadoor Sahib who depended on these centers for treatment."
The SAD leader also slammed the government for its apathy towards flood-affected farmers and demanded immediate compensation.
The press conference was held after Brahmpura, the SAD in-charge for the Khadoor Sahib constituency, was re-appointed as the party's vice president.