Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday said the party would rid Punjab of drugs if it formed the government in 2027, news agency Press Trust of India reported.Addressing gatherings of women in Tarn Taran and Khadoor Sahib, the Bathinda MP accused the previous Congress government and the present Aam Aadmi Party government of failing to curb the drug menace."You have been betrayed by both the previous Congress as well as the present Aam Aadmi Party government. Both these parties promised to put an end to the drug menace," Badal said. "Instead of doing that, they worked to proliferate it to such an extent that drugs are being home-delivered in Punjab".She said that during her earlier visits to villages, women would demand better schools, clean drinking water and medical facilities. "Today, they want nothing except an end to drug trafficking, which is destroying an entire generation," she said.
Badal alleged that women were worried about their children's safety but were afraid to expose drug dealers because the government intimidated whistleblowers and sheltered offenders.She said the SAD had formed the Mai Bhago di Fauj to confront drug dealers and appealed to its members to form groups, or "jathas", in their villages to take on traffickers. Badal said that if the SAD formed the government, it would establish a special task force headed by a woman director general of police to act against the drug mafia."I appeal to the members of the Mai Bhago di Fauj to keep a record of those selling drugs as well as those who are providing shelter to them.
We will take action against all the offenders," she said, according to PTI.She also said a rehabilitation programme would be introduced for people addicted to drugs and that they would be given skills to help them make a new beginning.Badal said the party would introduce a law to deny bail to drug offenders for 10 years, seize their property and compensate their victims.Targeting the AAP over the issue, Badal alleged that the state government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann were directly responsible for the situation. She claimed that the latest National Crime Records Bureau figures showed Punjab ranked first in the country in drug trafficking and second in drug overdose deaths.She also asked Mann to name any prominent drug lord arrested in the past five years and explain why no "chitta", or synthetic drug, factory had been uncovered.Badal reiterated that the SAD would act against drug traffickers, introduce rehabilitation and skill programmes for people with drug addiction, and bring in stricter legal measures if it returned to power in Punjab in 2027.- Ends