(Ludhiana):- Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Amarinder Singh today opposed the idea of opening of licensed poppy husk shops in Punjab, saying he and his party were “strictly” against the consumption of drugs, whether natural or synthetic.
Replying to a question on the scourge of drugs in the state and a suggestion that the government should start licensing the poppy husk shops, he rejected the idea, saying all types of addictions were “dangerous and disastrous”.
“I understand that the poppy husk is relatively less harmful than synthetic drugs, but we have to endeavour towards a completely drug free Punjab,” Amarinder said, adding, “He knew who were the people responsible for producing and supplying the drugs and the time was not very far when all of them will be behind the bars”
Interacting with the residents of Payal and Raikote assembly segments during two separate programmes of ‘Halqe vich Captain’ here, he appealed to people to give him a chance “so that he could bring back the smile on each and every Punjabis’ face”.
He also disagreed with the government in “forcing” the residents of border areas to move out of their villages “without any proper arrangements”.
Hoping that the tension along the border subsides, he alleged the residents were evacuated from border villages without “proper alternate arrangements”
Villagers have been subjected to undue suffering and harassment by the government order, Amarinder alleged.
The PCC president suggested that the government should have “waited and watched” the situation before asking the people to vacate their villages.
He demanded adequate compensation for the displaced people.
The former chief minister opposed the move to prevent the farmers, whose land is across the fence, from visiting their farms.
He claimed he had received a number of complaints from the people as they were not allowed to tend to their land across the fence.
“If the trade can go along as usual why stop our farmers from taking care of their crops?” he asked. .
PTI
