Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, July 02– The Shiromani Akali Dal said here today that the time has come for a comprehensive war on drugs by all Punjabis rising above political affiliations to fight a common enemy “This is no time for playing politics and the SAD will not fall to the temptation to take political advantage out of the government’s total failure to live up to its promise to tackle the drug menace in four weeks. As a responsible political party committed to the goals and ideals laid down before us by the great Gurus, the SAD is fully alive to its sacred responsibility to serve the people of Punjab constructively. We will discharge this responsibility most conscientiously to save our youth from the specter of drugs, ” said the party president and former Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab,Sardar Sukhbir Singh Badal here today.
Mr Badal said that his party will offer full support and constructive cooperation to any efforts by the government to weed out the drug menace from the state. We appeal to all Punjabis to rise above political affiliations and come together on a single platform to fight a common enemy.
In a significant policy statement released through the party headquarters here this evening, Mr Badal said, “ Our conduct is inspired by the ideals placed before us by the Great Guru Sahibaan who taught us to join hands whenever the society faces a serious challenge. (( hoye ikkatar mile mere bhai/ Dubidha door kro liv laayee — “ “ ਹੋਇ ਇਕੱਤਰ ਮਿਲੋ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈ [ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਦੂਰ ਕਰੋ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਈ II ) It is time for all of us to realize that in the past, politicizing the issue had resulted only in making the menace more serious and sinister. If political parties play petty politics on such sensitive issues for electoral gains, they may win elections, but Punjab loses its soul. The SAD will not fall a victim to that temptation, “ said Mr Badal , adding that lives of the people of Punjab, especially our youth, are at stake and we cannot afford to play politics on the issue.
“Let us all rise above petty egos or vested political stakes and unitedly and decisively confront and defeat this menace,” Mr Badal appealed to the people of Punjab.
The Akali president further said that unfortunately, just before and during the last elections, some political parties in Punjab had thought it fit to take political mileage out of the drug issue. Instead of pooling their energies and efforts in the war on drugs launched by Sardar Badal’s government, our opponents launched a vicious vilification campaign against Punjab itself, painting 70 % of the youth of the state as “drug addicts”. This was done merely to show he government in poor light. “
Mr Badal said that the SAD-BJP govt always believed that there was a problem to be fought and Sardar Badal launched “war on drugs.” So there was no denial. But it was a grave sin to defame all Punjabis as drug addicts or to project Punjab as the drug capital of the world.
The SAD president however said that it is time to put the past behind us and move forward united in our common resolve to save Punjab’s youth.
The Akali president said he would also appeal to the SGPC to launch a massive religious drive against the drug menace in the light of the teachings of the sacred Gurbani.
