Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday condemned the central government’s repeated attempts to politicise the Indian Army over the issue of the surgical strikes.Talking informally to mediapersons after distributing compensation cheques to the Jodhput detenues, the Chief Minister said while he had not seen the purported video of the surgical strikes, released by a TV channel, he was not in favour of using the Army for political mileage.Echoing the sentiment expressed by the Congress party, Captain Amarinder Singh said the actions of the Army should not be used as fodder for political or electoral gains. It was unfortunate that the surgical strikes, which had claimed the lives of many Indian soldiers, were being repeatedly politicised by the central government, he added.In response to a question, the Chief Minister lambasted Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira over his attempts to secure political and personal gains by raising the bogey of drugs. The AAP leader evidently likes seeing his pictures in newspapers and on TV screens, quipped Captain Amarinder Singh, adding that his government was well on way to eliminating the drugs menace and the drugs smugglers were under immense pressure.
His government had tightened the noose on drug smugglers and around 10000 peddlers were in jail, said the Chief Minister, adding that one of the kingpins was lodged in Hong Kong prison and efforts were on to secure his extradition. The government had information about three major drug suppliers having fled out of India, Captain Amarinder Singh disclosed. The price of Heroin had shot through the roof, further endorsing the success of the government’s anti-drugs campaign, said the Chief Minister.Replying to another question, Captain Amarinder Singh said he would ensure a probe into the allegation made by former cabinet minister Rana Gurjit about an addict being pushed into drugs by a cop.With heroin and chitta scarce in the market, drug addicts were now resorting to the consumption of other mixtures, and even reportedly using anti-addiction drugs intravenously, to satisfy their cravings, the Chief Minister further said, citing information received from various sources. He said directives would soon be issued to ensure strict supervision by drugs to prevent misuse of such drugs by the drug addicts.Calling for collective efforts by the government, the police and the citizens to free Punjab of drugs, the Chief Minister urged every Punjab to come forward to take drug addicts to the de-addiction centres and join the battle against drugs.