With a vow to eradicate the drugs menace in the state within four weeks of coming to power, Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday promised a special legislation to crack down on the drugs mafia and asserted that all those found guilty would be immediately jailed and their properties confiscated.All drugs cases would be dealt with on fast-track basis under the new law, which his government would bring in immediately after formation, said Captain Amarinder.Nobody would be spared, whether it is the Badals themselves or their associates like Bikram Singh Majithia, who has been accused of complicity with the drugs mafia in the state, Captain Amarinder declared.In a statement issued here, Captain Amarinder said the proposed legislation – part of the 9-point action plan of the Congress, would provide for deterrent punishment and confiscation of properties of all those found guilty of ruining the lives of Punjab’s youth with drugs.Coming down heavily on the Badal government for allowing the unchecked proliferation of drugs in the state to further their own vested interests, Captain Amarinder said a whole generation of youth had been destroyed because of the patronage of the Badals and their cronies.He made it clear that all steps would be taken, on priority basis, to tackle the drugs cases and ensure strict, deterrent punishment for drug dealers, suppliers and distributors.
He pledge to bring the youth affected by the drugs menace into the mainstream of development to ensure that they live healthy, peaceful and productive lives. Referring to his 'Har Ghar Vich Captain' (one job per family) campaign, the Punjab Congress president said the programme would not only help provide jobs to the unemployed youth but also wean them away from drugs.The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president welcomed the Election Commission’s decision to appoint a special team of narcotics control officers to check flow of drugs in his state during the Assembly polls,Captain Amarinder hailed the EC decision to appoint a special force, parallel to the Punjab Police, to control the use of drugs in order to ensure free and fair polls in the state. The EC’s move on drugs, he said, was a clear endorsement of the Congress stand that the drugs menace was rampant in Punjab under the Badal regime.Captain Amarinder also welcomed the fact that the special anti-drugs team would report directly to the EC, saying it was evident that, in the absence of direct monitoring by the EC, drugs and guns would continue to flourish and be used by the Badal government to influence and coerce voters during the Assembly polls, with the state police remaining silent spectators.The PPCC president reiterated his demand for strict implementation of the EC directives on surrender of all arms to the state police ahead of the elections and urged the poll body to take immediate steps to enforce the same.