After controversy, Harbhajan makes U-turn, backs AAP’s bulldozer justice in Punjab
Former cricketer’s remark that “bulldozing is not the solution” had evoked sharp reaction from AAP leader Somnath Bharti, who termed the criticism of Bhagwant Mann govt “completely uncalled for”.
After triggering a controversy by opposing the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government’s demolition drive against drug peddlers in Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha member and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh took a U-turn and said that he stood “in complete support of Punjab Police and the government action”.
After his initial remark that “bulldozing is not the solution” evoked sharp reaction from AAP leader Somnath Bharti, the cricketer-turned-politician posted a clarification on X, heaping praise on the state government. “Let me make it very clear. @AAPPunjab govt is the first govt in Punjab taking such drastic action against drug smugglers. I stand in complete support of Punjab Police and the government. Finally, we have a govt which is serious about eradicating drugs and the message is clear. Together, we will win this war against drugs. Let’s make our great state free from any kind of nasha (addiction).”
Earlier, in a sharply-worded riposte, his AAP colleague Bharti termed Harbhajan’s criticism about the state government’s War Against Drugs initiative “completely uncalled for”.
Harbhajan was the second Rajya Sabha member of the AAP in the past two days to disagree with the party’s stand after AAP MP Ashok Kumar Mittal praised the BJP-led Centre for renaming colonial-era places on Monday. His statement in the Rajya Sabha was seen as contrary to the AAP’s stand on the issue.
Taking on Harbhajan, Bharti posted on X, “Harbhajan_Singh ji, learnt that you have opposed bulldozer action of AAP’s Punjab govt against drug lords who have destroyed youth, the future of Punjab. These drug lords have ruined lakhs of families, they have trampled dreams of aged parents, they have put on fire dreams of newly wedded girls and you are favouring them? Your statement favouring the drug mafia is absolutely uncalled for.”
On Tuesday, Harbhajan had spoken up against the demolition drive, saying: “I am not in favour of demolishing houses. Instead, the drug suppliers and smugglers should be arrested, according to the law. They should be sensitised about the ill-effects of drug abuse. It is not right to raze any house, which provides a roof to other family members. I am not aware how these houses were built and with whose money, but there must be some other alternative. This is not the right approach. If someone has occupied government land, the authorities should take action and reclaim it. But instead of demolishing homes, the government should relocate residents before vacating the space.”
Bharti said Harbhajan’s statement was wrong as Punjab has been converted into a land of drugs. “These drug lords have destroyed the land of our revered Gurus. The land of spirituality has been converted to the land of drugs and the ones who are responsible for this must be punished severely,” Bharti posted on X on Wednesday.
He condemned Harbhajan’s statement, saying that as a youth icon, he should be saying and doing things to save the youngsters of Punjab. “You are a youth icon and you should be seen saying and doing things to save the youth of youth of Punjab but your statement reflects otherwise,” Bharti said.
He added a word of caution saying, “Anything to the contrary of the public statements or actions of the party, our leaders and our governments should be strictly avoided. There is enough democracy in my party and you should have opted to voice any such thing before the leadership and not in public.”
Since the launch of its ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh (War against drugs) campaign on February 28, the Punjab government has demolished more than two dozen illegal structures belonging to traffickers by allegedly using drug money.
