New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Punjab on Tuesday amid growing political tensions over the drug menace in the state, and will meet the families of individuals who recently lost their lives for speaking out against drug peddlers.
Announcing the visit in a post on X, BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu earlier said that Punjab was grappling with a serious drug problem and called for decisive action, strong leadership and firm determination to safeguard the state’s youth and future.
“Punjab welcomes Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji on his visit to Punjab on 20th October. At a time when Punjab is battling the grave menace of drugs, we need decisive action, strong leadership and a firm resolve to secure our youth and our future,” the former Union Minister said.
Bittu also targeted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab over the drug situation, alleging that it had lost public support before completing its term. He appealed to people across the state to support Shah’s efforts to tackle the problem.
“The AAP Govt in Punjab has lost its mandate much before his completion of term. I appeal to every Punjabi to support Amit Shah Ji and have faith in our collective mission to make Punjab drug-free, once and for all. Let us unite to save Punjab’s youth and reclaim Punjab’s future!” he added.
Earlier on Sunday, in a post on his official X account, HM Shah said he would meet the family members of individuals who were killed after raising their voices against drug peddlers allegedly operating under the patronage of the AAP government.
The meetings are scheduled to take place in Mansa, Sangrur and Gurdaspur later in the day.
“The AAP government has spared no effort in pushing Punjab into the abyss of drugs, as a result of which numerous families have had to lose their children,” Shah said.
“I will meet the family members of those individuals who recently lost their lives for raising their voices against the drug peddlers thriving under the patronage of the AAP government, in Mansa, Sangrur, and Gurdaspur on Tuesday (October 20). The grief these families have endured cannot be expressed in words,” he said.
The Home Minister further asserted that attempts to silence those speaking out against the drug trade would not succeed. He expressed confidence that the people of Punjab would respond strongly to the issue.
Shah’s visit comes amid an intensifying political debate over drug abuse in Punjab, with the BJP stepping up its criticism of the AAP government and calling for stronger action to combat the menace and protect the state’s youth.
This will be Shah’s second visit to Punjab in 20 days. He last visited the state on September 30 to address an anti-drug rally in Jalandhar.
–IANS
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