Sukhbir trying to hoodwink people: Congress

CHANDIGARH: Rejecting what they termed as the “Akali-sponsored” survey on drug abuse, the Punjab Congress on Friday accused deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal of trying to mislead people by “fudging” official numbers.

In a statement issued here, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) alleged Sukhbir’s claim that there were only about 1.2% drug addicts in Punjab was a bundle of lies, in total conflict with data based on independent surveys. “The government-sponsored figures released by Sukhbir are a clear attempt to hoodwink the people of Punjab,” said the PPCC, adding that even the common man on the street was aware of the gravity of the situation.

The sample on which Sukhbir’s claims were based related to youths who had applied for police recruitment and were naturally expected to be normal and healthy, said PPCC leaders Sunder Sham Arora, Ramanjit Singh Sikki and Gurchet Singh Bhullar.