Cong MLA questions Capt govt’s drive against drugs

› If the govt has made huge efforts, the drug menace should have been eradicated in Punjab by now. We need to do a lot more to wipe out drugs.

SS DHIMAN, Amargarh MLA

SANGRUR : Questioning his own government’s efforts to eradicate drug menace from Punjab, Congress’ Amargarh MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman has said that not even a ‘single big black sheep’ involved in the trade had been arrested during the first half of its tenure.

“If the government has made huge efforts, the drug menace should have been eradicated in Punjab by now. We need to do a lot more to wipe out drugs from the state,” Dhiman told HT over phone.

Earlier in the day, he had told reporters in Dirba that there was the need to arrest ‘big black sheep’ involved in the trade.

This is not the first time that MLA Dhiman has courted controversy.

On July 31, 2017, speaking at a state-level function to commemorate the martyrdom of Shaheed Udham Singh in Sunam, he had said that ‘chitta’ (white powder, referring to drugs) is ‘easily available in every nook and corner of the state as drive against the menace remained effective for only the first 15 days of the government.’ The Congress government had assumed power in March 2017.

On steps that he had taken to eradicate the drug menace, he said, “When I get any information about drug smuggling in my area or other parts of the state, I direct police to take action. However, the administration should act against drug smugglers, while also identifying back sheep within the bureaucracy.”

He added, “A large number of cops are drug addicts, but they are also part of our society; in fact, the menace has hit them massively. Though the state government is working to eradicate drugs, we need to take strong steps against drug smuggling.”