CHANDIGARH, OCT 20 — Aam Aadmi Party Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu maintained that the fight against drugs requires broad social cooperation and concrete central assistance, asserting that political parties must reflect on their past tenure before criticising current efforts.
Addressing a press conference during Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Punjab, Pannu declared that the state government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has instituted a systematic campaign titled ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ to root out illicit networks. He noted that civil administration, police, and nearly one lakh members of Village and Ward Defence Committees are actively working on the ground.
Pannu affirmed that Punjab faces specific challenges due to its international border and noted that while local authorities have deployed anti-drone systems, effective resolution requires active support from central agencies. He stated that repeated requests from the state government to bring specific medicines under the National Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act remain pending with the Centre. Highlighting historical context, Pannu observed that the drug problem expanded significantly during the 2007–2017 Akali-BJP administration, and he questioned the progress of past investigations, including the multi-crore drug racket cases from that era.
Regarding recent tragic events, Pannu affirmed the sensitivity of the administration, pointing out that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann agreed to hand over the investigation of the Parvinder Singh Jhota case to the Central Bureau of Investigation in accordance with the family’s wishes. He maintained that using personal losses for political leverage remains unwarranted and urged all political entities to support measures focused on cross-border security, border management, and long-term youth welfare.
