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BJP to hold yatra across Punjab on drugs issue
According to the senior party functionaries, the party leaders have been given January as the tentative date for the yatra which is likely to culminate at Khatkar Kalan of Punjab.
Considering drug menace as a potential political issue in Punjab, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has planned a state wide yatra over the issue with a plan to involve Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the event. As per the internal communication of the party accessed by Hindustan Times, the BJP workers have been asked to prepare ground for the event and make all necessary arrangements for the yatra to be held after Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh poll results.
According to senior party leaders at the helm of affairs for the event, the party leaders have been given January as the tentative date for the yatra which is likely to culminate at Khatkar Kalan of Punjab.
Earlier, the Yatra was planned to start from November 20 but keeping in view the intense involvement of senior party leaders in Gujarat and Himachal, it has been postponed to January.
“As the high-command has asked us to keep the details a secret, details of the yatra cannot be shared as of now. But definitely, the party considers drug menace as the biggest problem of Punjab and would show its commitment to end this menace to the people of Punjab,” a senior BJP leader confirmed requesting anonymity.
It’s not for the first time that the saffron party has planned a yatra against the drug menace. In 2016 as well, when the party was in the state government with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as its ally, similar event on the drug with present Home Minister Amit Shah, who was national party president that time, to start the Yatra. Even the dates and schedule for the start of the yatra from Amritsar was finalized.
As that time, the Yatra was planned amid tussle between the SAD but it was postponed after intervention of a senior party leader at the national level.
For the event to be held at the start of the next year, the BJP has even formed a committee. Senior leaders contacted on the issue to get the comments refused to do so citing high-command’s orders to talk to media on the issue until its schedule is full and final.
