Act tough to save youth from drug menace, Punjab BJP chief tells CM

Chandigarh: Expressing shock and anguish over 14 deaths reported in Punjab in 14 days owing to drug abuse, Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar on Sunday urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to act tough to save Punjab's youth from this menace.

"These tragic deaths have shaken the people and a Chief Minister, who every other day sells fake dreams of making a 'Rangla Punjab', must be forced to understand his duty towards the state," Jakhar said in a statement.

"Punjab today needs an effective and urgent crackdown against those directly responsible for this heinous crime of killing our youngsters," he said, adding the government has failed miserably to control drug menace with daily reports of drugs being available easily in villages and towns.

Jakhar reminded Bhagwant Mann of his own AAP MLAs publicly disclosing names of those under whose direct patronage drug trade is flourishing in the state and yet no action had been taken ever in the past two years.

"What more information does the CM need to at least order a probe and bring those, however powerful, behind these deaths to book," Jakhar asked.