Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Centre would seek the Punjab government's response over two disturbing incidents in the state, asserting that the drug trade was flourishing in Punjab. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann hit back the same day, asking the Centre to take responsibility for its own duties.
Two incidents cited
Shah pointed to two recent incidents to underline his charge: a father who consumed poison under pressure in Dirba, and the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in broad daylight in Mansa. The Home Minister said the Centre would ask the state government to explain its handling of both cases, according to a PTI report carried by Mathrubhumi English.
Mann's sharp reply
Chief Minister Mann responded sharply to Shah's remarks, saying the Centre should first take responsibility for its own duties instead of blaming the state government. The exchange marks a fresh round in the long-running political tussle between the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab over who is accountable for the state's drug problem.
The backdrop
Punjab's drug crisis has been a recurring political flashpoint for over a decade, with every government in the state promising to stamp it out. The killing of Jhota, an activist known for campaigning against narcotics, has put the issue back in the spotlight, raising uncomfortable questions about the safety of those who take on the trade. Shah's decision to formally seek the state's response suggests the Centre intends to keep the pressure on Chandigarh over law and order.
Sources:
- Mathrubhumi English (PTI): Shah says drug trade flourishing in Punjab; Mann replies
Two incidents cited
Shah pointed to two recent incidents to underline his charge: a father who consumed poison under pressure in Dirba, and the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in broad daylight in Mansa. The Home Minister said the Centre would ask the state government to explain its handling of both cases, according to a PTI report carried by Mathrubhumi English.
Mann's sharp reply
Chief Minister Mann responded sharply to Shah's remarks, saying the Centre should first take responsibility for its own duties instead of blaming the state government. The exchange marks a fresh round in the long-running political tussle between the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab over who is accountable for the state's drug problem.
The backdrop
Punjab's drug crisis has been a recurring political flashpoint for over a decade, with every government in the state promising to stamp it out. The killing of Jhota, an activist known for campaigning against narcotics, has put the issue back in the spotlight, raising uncomfortable questions about the safety of those who take on the trade. Shah's decision to formally seek the state's response suggests the Centre intends to keep the pressure on Chandigarh over law and order.
Sources:
- Mathrubhumi English (PTI): Shah says drug trade flourishing in Punjab; Mann replies
