More than happy to help BJP in anti-drug drive, if asked: Sukhbir

With the Bharatiya Janata Party planning to conduct its anti-drug drive starting January 22, Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said they were yet to get an invitation from their ally, but would certainly participate in the drive if they got one.

The campaign is set to be launched by national BJP president Amit Shah in Amritsar. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who visited the city on the occasion of independent councillor Kamaljeet Singh Karwal joining the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday, claimed that Punjab was just being defamed as it did not produce drugs, and the drugs were being smuggled from Pakistan and Afghanistan, adding that Punjab was a victim of narco terrorism.

“Drug rackets are being busted in Maharashtra, Madras, UP and others too, but only Punjab is being defamed,” he added.

While commenting on the awareness programmes of SAD over the issue of drug smuggling, he said a serious conspiracy was hatched to defame Punjab on the drug issue. He demanded that there was a great need to ensure greater vigilance at the international border to stop inflow of drugs into Punjab, besides a complete ban on cultivation and sale of opium and poppy husk in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and other states.

On being asked, he said, “BJP is going to organise its own campaign in their way and we are going to conduct a drive against drugs in our style. But, we will join the BJP if invited.”

“The drugs are coming from Pakistan and Afghanistan. We want the Border Security Forces to be equipped with advance technology as they are the first line of defense. We are making efforts to boost the morale of the BSF with our dharnas,” he added.

Appreciating the Punjab Police, he said the drug rackets were being busted at various places in the state, but it did not mean those drugs were for Punjab. “The drugs smuggled from the neighbouring countries were for consumption in other parts of country, and not alone in Punjab,” he claimed.

Sukhbir said they had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi related to the security at the border. Raising questions on the reports highlighted in the media, he claimed that there was no study that established that 70% youth of the state were addicted to drugs.