Punjab’s rising drug and

Hoshiarpur / Daljeet Ajnoha/May 09 :
Former Cabinet Minister and senior BJP leader Tikshn Sood has expressed concern over the growing drug abuse and illegal weapons network in Punjab, saying the situation could devastate the state. He said the Supreme Court has also pulled up the Punjab government for its handling of the issue, asking why big fish and influential people are escaping action.
Referring to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s promise that drugs would be eliminated from Punjab within two months of the party coming to power, Sood said that three years into the government, the so-called “war against drugs” has remained little more than publicity. He alleged that the government has focused only on publicity campaigns and on filing FIRs against small-time offenders to show progress on paper.
Sood said that drug smuggling and the inflow of illegal weapons cannot happen without the consent of the system. He claimed that Punjab is now recording a crime rate 5.5 times higher than the national average in cases involving illegal weapons, kidnappings and suicides.
He added that the Supreme Court has warned the state government that if the situation does not improve, Centre’s intervention may become necessary. He also said the Punjab government cannot escape responsibility by blaming Pakistan and the ISI, and stressed that action against influential people is essential to curb the menace.
Sood said neither the Punjab government nor the AAP appears serious about taking decisive action, and warned that the consequences would have to be borne by future generations.