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Ample evidence against SAD leader lodged in Nabha jail, says Punjab CM
CM Bhagwant Mann claims evidence against a former Akali minister in drug trafficking case; launches village defense committees to combat drug issues.
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said that ample evidence had been found against the former Akali minister in Nabha jail, arrested on drug trafficking charges. Without naming Bikram Singh Majithia, the CM, who was addressing members of newly formed defence committees in an event in Ludhiana, said the evidence would be presented in court, and the matter would be taken to a logical end.
Targeting several senior leaders of the Congress and the BJP for “speaking in favour of the SAD leader”, Mann said it exposed the “collusion” between the Opposition parties. “They’ve covered up each other’s wrongdoings when they were in power. They should make it clear whether they are with the drug traffickers or against them,” said the chief minister.
Blaming the Opposition for the drug issue, Mann said had the previous governments restrained drug traffickers, the current government wouldn’t have been compelled to conduct anti-drug campaigns. “Governments usually form development committees, not defence committees,” he said.
According to Mann, the state government, which launched the anti-drug campaign on February 4 this year, had achieved success in breaking the backbone of the drug supply chain. “To keep villages and cities free of drugs, the government has formed defence committees which will act as generals in this war against drugs,” he said.
Each village or ward defence committee will be formed with four core members, including village sarpanch or ward councillor, a representative from the anti-drug campaign, the BDPO or his/her representative and the SHO or his/her representative. He said these committees will include 10 to 20 members depending on the population of an area. Each committee will be notified by the local SDM and committee members will be issued government identity cards. Villages and wards will have 24X7 surveillance to ensure no trafficker dares to operate, he highlighted.
The CM envisioned that committee members would also assist in drug rehabilitation efforts and help reintegrate former addicts into society. He said any village or ward that achieves 100% drug-free status would receive formal recognition and certificates of appreciation from the government. Mann said these committees would raise awareness through street plays and door-to-door campaigns, adding that schools would also conduct awareness programmes for children.
He noted that more than 10,000 village-level meetings have already been held, and many panchayats have passed resolutions to declare their villages drug-free.
In another announcement, he said that after the monsoon season ends, the government would begin extensive repair work on 20,000 km of link roads across the state, describing them as Punjab’s economic lifelines.
Health and family welfare minister Dr Balbir Singh, housing and urban development minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, chief secretary KAP Sinha, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav and others were present.
