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Amit Shah vows to end Punjab’s drug menace (Img: IANS)
Ludhiana: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday accused the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of failing to curb Punjab’s drug crisis, alleging that it had broken promises and betrayed public trust.
During his visit to the state, Shah met families of people from Gurdaspur, Sangrur and Mansa who reportedly died after speaking out against the drug trade. Addressing a press briefing, he said their accounts had left him deeply distressed by the impact of the synthetic drug trade, commonly known as ‘chitta’.
“The situation in Punjab that people here have described is several times more heartbreaking than what we read in the reports of Delhi’s newspapers. Today, I want to ask the AAP government here: some have lost a son, some a brother, and others a husband—what answer does your government have for this? Beyond making excuses, I have yet to hear a single substantive response," he said.
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Recalling his previous visit to Punjab for a ‘Drug-Free Punjab’ rally, Shah said he had faced verbal abuse and what he described as false allegations. He maintained that his latest visit was not politically motivated and that his priority was to end the drug menace.
Shah said the AAP had promised to eradicate the drug trade within three months of coming to power, but the problem continued years later. He also alleged that people who spoke out against drugs were being driven to suicide or murdered.
“I would simply say to those responsible: hurling insults at me achieves nothing. If it brings you any satisfaction, then by all means, continue—but put an end to the drug trade. Bring an end to the trade of synthetic drugs (chitta)," he said.
Shah also criticised the Punjab government over its claims that drugs were entering the country through ports in Gujarat, pointing to seizures made in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
“The leaders of the AAP government should be ashamed. They accuse us, claiming that drugs arrive via ports in Gujarat. So far, from Gujarat and Maharashtra ports, drugs worth Rs 20,000 crore have been seized… How do these drugs, once broken down into smaller packets, end up in Punjab?" he said.
However, Shah welcomed Bhagwant Mann’s decision to refer a drug-related case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He assured families that those responsible would be brought to justice, regardless of their influence.
“I want to promise the people of Punjab that for the case they have entrusted to us, whoever the accused may be, no matter how big… we will track them down even from the depths of the underworld and hand them over to the law," he added.
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Shah pledged to end the drug crisis in Punjab by December 31, 2029, and secure justice for the families of all victims.
His visit followed the deaths of Vikramjit Singh from Gurdaspur, Gulzar Singh from Sangrur and Parvinder Singh Jhota from Mansa. Reports suggest they died after publicly raising concerns about the drug problem in their respective localities.
