BARNALA, DECEMBER 3: Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh today called for stringent laws against drug trafficking as it was threatening an entire generation. He lashed out at the Akalis that instead of taking measures against the drug trafficking in Punjab they were patronising and encouraging it.
Addressing a well attended public rally here today, Capt Amarinder quoted a UN sponsored study which revealed that 66 per cent of the youth in Punjab had tried some drugs at some point of time. He also referred to a local Akali leader who is infamous for drug pedalling and has been arrested several times. “I warn him today that I will put him behind bars once again as he has not stopped the drug pedalling”, he said.
Lashing out at the Akali-BJP government for the lopsided and myopic policies, he pointed out, the industry had started leaving Punjab and moving to other states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. He said, this government had failed to retain the confidence of the investors with the result there was no new investment and the existing industry was moving out.
Holding the Akalis squarely responsible for the sad state of affairs in Punjab, particularly the unemployment, the PCC President said, they were getting the unemployed youth hooked to the drugs and making money of it. He said, it was quite shameful that instead of rehabilitating the youth with jobs they were pushing them towards addiction to promote the unlawful business.
Referring to the lack of administrative infrastructure in Barnala, Capt Amarinder said, after he made it a district the Akalis ignored it. He criticised the Akali leadership for ignoring Barnala just because it had been made into a district by the Congress. He promised to provide adequate administrative infrastructure in the district once the Congress forms the government.
Speaking on the occasion the Congress incharge for Punjab, Thakur Gulchain Singh Charak congratulated the party workers for organising such a show of strength. He said, the alarm bells must have started ringing among the Akali-BJP camps as people of Punjab have started delivering their verdict against their government.
Mr Charak told the party workers that he had come with a message from the party President Ms Sonia Gandhi that she was aware of the problems and victimisation faced by them during the last five years. He assured them the workers’ honour and dignity will be restored. At the same time he asked them to remain untied and maintain discipline at all costs.
Congress Legislative Party leader Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said, the countdown for the Akali-BJP government had begun. She said, the Akali leaders were running away from their respective assembly seats in search of safe constituencies. But, she asserted, they will not find any safe constituency anywhere.
Addressing the rally local MP Vijay Inder Singla said, the Akali-BJP government was surviving only on central grants and still was ungrateful to the Congress led UPA government at the centre.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included Kewal Dhillon, Ms Harchan Kaur, Ms Surinder Kaur Balian and others.