Terming the burning of “Chitta Ravan” by Congress as mere ‘political drama”, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today claimed that Congress was equally responsible for growing menace of drugs in Punjab, as the root of the menace spread during Captain Amarinder Singh’s regime from 2002 to 2007.Unveiling the statistics to buttress the AAP’s allegations against Congress, Co-Convener of RTI Wing of the party, Advocate Dinesh Chadha said during Captain’s regime there were total number of cases registered under NDPS Act 3545 in the year 2003, 3226 (2004), 4464 (2005), 4861 (2006) and in the year of 2007 total number of such cases increased to as high as 6111.Even the numbers of arrest under NDPS cases during Captain’s regime were high, which could be evident from the fact that in 2003 arrested persons were 3545, in 2004 (3853, in 2005 (5308), in 2006 (5706) and in 2007 total number of arrested persons under NDPS Act were 7068.As far as recovery of narcotics during Captain’s regime is concerned, in 2005 39.68 KG of heroin was recovered, in 2006 53.885 KG and in 2007 134.98 KG of heroin were seized, Chadha said adding that even the recovery of smack & other narcotics during Captain regime was very high.
Chadha said that statistics of the number of cases registered, number of persons arrested and recovery of narcotics during Captain’s regime indicates that “Udta Punjab” started getting its wings during the tenure of Captain Amarinder Singh, who is now indulged in shredding ‘crocodile tears” by burning the “Chitta Ravan” to divert the attention of people from his failure to curb the menace of drugs during his regime.“Captain Amarinder, who is now pledging to wipe out the menace of drugs in Punjab within one monthshould explain what he did on the issue during his tenure as Chief Minister from 2002 to 2007?, quipped Chadha.Why Captain opposed the CBI’s probe into the allegations of involvement of his “Nephew” Bikram Singh Majithia, when his own party was demanding it? he further quipped.Captain Amarinder owes an explanation why he did not oppose nomination of former PPCC Chief Pratap Bajwa, against whom he (Captain) levelled allegation for his (Bajwa’s) involvement in the drug racket, on which he wrote a letter to the Congress National President, Chadha said.