Terming the proposed protest by the Congress party on the issue of drugs in the state as a ‘political gimmick’, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that the Congress leadership was ‘shedding crocodile tears’ over this sensitive issue.Interacting with the media persons on the sidelines of Sangat Darshan program of Lambi assembly segment here today, the Chief Minister dared the Congress leadership to list any single achievement for checking the supply of drugs from international border, while their party was enjoying fruits of power at the centre for last one decade. He said that it was a well known fact the state Congress leaders have remained tightlipped over these years on this grave issue concerning the state of Punjab. However, Mr. Badal said that today when the SAD-BJP government was exclusively working for eradicating menace of drugs from the state, the Congress leadership was resorting to such cheap tactics to score brownie points before media.
The Chief Minister further said that the state was fighting nation’s war against drugs as Punjab was on the transit route of the drugs supplied across the globe from international border. Mr. Badal said that due to this only the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has decided to initiate mass awareness campaign against drug menace in the state as a part of which protests would be held at Attari, Hussainiwala and Sadki borders on January 5. He reiterated that the SAD has a glorious track record of struggling for safeguarding the interests of the state so at this crucial time the party has decided to wage a war against drugs.
The Chief Minister further said that drug menace was one of the major challenges faced by the country in contemporary times and the only solution for checking it was to totally cut down the supply line of drugs both from within the country and abroad. Mr. Badal said that serious efforts must be initiated for sealing the borders to check cross border inflow of drugs besides refraining the states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and others to openly sell drugs like Poppy husk.
Rubbishing the reports regarding any sort of Urea shortage in the state, the Chief Minister said that the state had received far more urea as compared to the corresponding period of last year. Mr. Badal said that there was no need for getting panicky on this issue as there was hardly any scarcity of urea in the state. He said that regular monitoring was being done by the state Agriculture Department to ensure that farmers do not face any difficulty in this regard.Replying to another query, the Chief Minister reiterated that the Union government must intervene for securing the release of Sikh prisoners who were languishing in various jails even after the completion of their term.
Earlier addressing the gatherings during Sangat Darshan in Dhaula, Thraajwala, Lalbai, Channu, Bidowali and Mann village, the Chief Minister said that the state government has accorded top priority for supplying potable drinking water and disposal of waste water from the villages. He said that massive efforts have been undertaken to ensure all round development of the state in state in every sector. Mr. Badal further said that due to the concerted efforts of the state government Punjab was today one of the leading states in the country.
Exhorting the farmers to adopt crop persification, the Chief Minister said that it would help in bailing them out from the current agrarian crisis by enhancing their income. He said that due to escalating costs of farming inputs and squeezing margins of profit agriculture was no longer a profitable venture. Mr. Badal said that in such a scenario the farmers must adopt allied farming activities like Dairying, fishery, piggery, goatery, apiary, agro forestry and others to supplement their income.
The Chief Minister also called upon the farmers to adopt the technique of using the farm equipments on custom hiring basis as it would help them in curtailing the heavy cost expenditure meted out on farming. He said that the state government was already giving 30% subsidy to the cooperative societies for purchasing such equipments.The Chief Minister was accompanied by Chairman Mr. Tejinder Singh Middukhera, senior Akali leader Mr. Avtar Singh Vanwala, his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema, Deputy Inspector General of Police Mr. Amar Singh Chahal and Deputy Commissioner Mr. Jaskiran Singh.