Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh/Khemkaran, The Punjab Congress President, Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, while appreciating the serious concern expressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the drug menace spreading its tentacles, he said he should dismiss the Parkash Singh Badal government as a first step to end this scourge and order CBI probe.
In a statement, he referred to that part of the speech in which the Prime Minister had referred to the pleas made by hapless mothers in Punjab to get rid their sons of drugs as the menace was destroying families.
He said Punjab was the only state where the names of certain ministers had surfaced in drug smuggling and one of them had to resign. However, no action was taken against others. It was only after the formation of the government at the centre that the state BJP had started taking up this issue.
He also referred to narco-terrorism part of the speech in which Mr Modi had linked the drug money to terrorism. Mr Bajwa said in this context, what was happening in Punjab was a direct threat to the national security as it was the state government which was aiding and abetting drug smuggling going by the statements made by the smugglers arrested by the police. He said the Enforcement Directorate was ready with the investigations but the agency was waiting for political signals as the person on the list of those to be questioned included a powerful minister.
The PPCC chief also referred to the April 30 ad that appeared in the newspapers with the picitures of Mr Modi and Mr Badal in which the two parties had admitted to the menace of drugs and promised to end it one the BJP was catapulted to power at the centre.
“This ad was also indirect admission of what had been going on in Punjab. The BJP has been the alliance partner of the Badal government but the party never raised any objections and as such, abetted in the spread of this menace by remaining a mute spectator. Eradication of the drug menace was the very first promise made by Mr Modi in this ad released under the BJP and Akali Dal banner”, he added.
He asserted Mr Modi had only corroborated what the Congress vice-president, Mr Rahul Gandhi, had said during his Punjab visit before the elections when he referred to the wide spread menace of drugs which was hotly contested both by Mr Badal and the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Sukhbir Singh Basdal, dubbing the same as a political statement bereft of facts. He pointed out Mr Modi had now talked of the gravity of the problem in this border state that was no different from what Mr Gandhi had stated.
He asked as to what was the stand now of the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister to the concerns expressed by Mr Modi about the deepening drug crisis in the state. Would they now dub the same as the overstatement with political overtones as the BJP was eyeing more space in Punjab? He said Mr Gandhi was the first national leader to warn the nation as to what was happening in this state. He demanded apology from the CM and the Deputy CM for levelling charges against Mr Gandhi that he was doing politicking over the drug issue by blowing it out of proportions.
He said the Prime Minister had took up the issue at the tight time and as a first step, he must throw out the Badal government followed by the CBI inquiry to prove his sincerity.
Partap Singh Bajwa said this while on tour to Khemkaran Constituency. He addressed worker meeting. He was accompanied by S. Gurchet Singh Bhullar, Ex-Minister, S. Harminder Singh Gill General Secretary PPCC, S. Sardul Singh, Ex-Minister, Sh. Pawan Adia General Secretary PPCC and incharge Tarn Taran District, S. Sukhpal Singh Bhullar President District Congress Committee Tarn Taran, Prof. Gurwinder Singh Mamanke, S. Gurminder Singh Rataul, S. Bhupinder Singh Bittu, Secretaries PPCC, S. Inderjit Singh Zira, Prin. Hardeep Singh Patti, S. Anoop Singh and district leader.
