Chandigarh, Sep 14 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Monday that while the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government is taking decisive action against gangsters and the drug menace, the Opposition is resorting to “vulture politics” by using every unfortunate incident to stay in the media spotlight instead of presenting a vision for the state.
He added that 10 gangsters have been brought back to Punjab from abroad since January and nearly 80 per cent of the drugs coming from Pakistan have been eliminated following the state government’s crackdown.
The Chief Minister affirmed the state government will now tighten the noose on the supply coming from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, while taking direct aim at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the drug route and saying “if the BJP takes care of the Mundra Port in Gujarat, the drug menace in Punjab will be almost eliminated”.
He also said the Congress and the Akali Dal, who “nurtured gangsters”, have no right to speak on law and order, and called upon all three opposition parties to stop their “dirty politics” and present their vision for Punjab before the people.
Calling out Opposition’s “vulture politics” at a press meet, CM Mann noted, “When you have no issue, you start feeding on every unfortunate incident. This is not politics of public service, this is ‘vulture politics’. Punjab deserves better than this cheap politics.”
The Chief Minister said that instead of appreciating the Punjab government’s sustained battle against drugs, gangsters and organised crime, the Opposition is deliberately trying to create fear and defame Punjab for narrow political gains.
“Punjab is not merely a border state but the gateway to the country and a gem of India. Any attempt to portray the entire state through the prism of isolated incidents is a deliberate attempt to malign Punjab and its people.”
CM Mann said his government had adopted a comprehensive roadmap to dismantle the nexus of drugs, gangsters and organised crime.
“Our (AAP government’s) fight is not limited to making arrests. We are identifying networks, intercepting consignments, choking financial channels and bringing the perpetrators to justice. Punjab Police is working day and night and we have not allowed criminals to dictate the agenda of the state. Those involved in drugs and gang-related activities are being pursued relentlessly, irrespective of their political connections or influence,” the Chief Minister added.
Taking on the BJP over the issue of drug smuggling, CM Mann said that desperate attempts “are being made to smuggle drugs into Punjab from across the 532-km border. The consignments being pushed into Punjab may be in small packets, but the BJP, especially the Union Home Minister (Amit Shah), should answer why tons of such consignments are available in BJP-ruled states”.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab Police have recovered a huge consignment of such drugs from the Mundra Port, which is in the native state of the Union Home Minister.
“The Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) is not able to check drugs in his own state and is planning to undertake an anti-drug yatra in Punjab,” CM Mann added.
–IANS
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