BJP Flays Bhagwant Mann Govt Over Murder Of Anti-Drug Activists In Punjab, Calls For CBI Probe

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday launched a scathing critique of the Bhagwant Mann government over twin murders of anti-drug activists in Punjab over the past two days, an issue that has ignited widespread outrage and put the ruling dispensation on the backfoot over 'deteriorating' law and order condition in the state.

In a press conference, hours after murder of second drug whistleblower on Friday, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh hit out at the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government for remaining "mute spectator" to the daylight killings and demanded that the matter be handed over to investigation agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) for detailed probe and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

He said that the reign of drug mafia has reached alarming levels in Punjab, whistleblowers are being murdered, and claimed that the state government has utterly failed in not imposing curbs on the syndicate but also in ensuring security of its residents.

Earlier in the day, 40-year-old Bikramjit Singh, an anti-drug activist was killed in Batala district allegedly by unknown gunmen.

On Thursday, a noted activist Parvinder Singh Jhota was brutally murdered in Mansa after he confronted a drug peddler.

Chugh, also BJP Central office In-charge, said that the murders of Parvinder Singh Jhota and Bikramjit Singh show that how raising voice against drugs in Punjab could become a life-threatening act.

Saying that the scourge of drugs has consumed Punjab's youth, the BJP leader criticised the state government for the prevailing lawlessness, claiming that the public confidence in state government was on a constant decline.

Chugh also said that killings are continuing unabated in Punjab and grenades are being hurled at police stations.

"The state was witnessing a spate of murders, with whistleblowers being shot dead."

"Gulzar Singh was targeted because he had exposed the sale of 'chitta' in the area. He was harassed to such an extent that he was compelled to die by suicide. The situation has now deteriorated to such an extent that Jhota was shot dead in broad daylight in a crowded marketplace. He had repeatedly called for help, but the police did not arrive," the BJP leader said.

Terming Mann govt's 'Yudh Nasheyan Virudh' campaign an 'utter failure', Tarun Chugh said that the high-level meeting convened by the Punjab Chief Minister was nothing more than a futile exercise.

"Nearly five years have passed, and for 55 months the state government did nothing. What can it achieve in the final few weeks now? The AAP government is actually being run from Delhi by Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia. In such circumstances, what benefit will come from Bhagwant Mann's high-power meeting? When there was time to act, nothing was done, and now the time to leave has arrived," Chugh added.

The BJP leader also claimed that the entire state was under distress and in an atmosphere of fear but the Bhagwant Mann government has remained focused only on serving Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia.

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