Punjab BJP dithers on drug issue, covers up ‘misdeeds’ of ruling partner SAD

CHANDIGARH : Punjab BJP which held its two days state executive body meeting at Jalandhar has failed to take any decisive stand on drug menace in Punjab. The BJP has been dithering on the issue of drugs as per its political convinience.
Punjab BJP president and Union Minister Vijay Sampla backed up SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and said that certain powers were trying to defame Punjab and there are no drug addiction in the state. In the same breathe he contradicts Sukhbir Badal’s statement that drugs were coming to Punjab from across the border. Sampla defended center governnment on the issue of cross border smuggling of drugs and said that borders are sealed and no drugs coming from other side of the border.
Interestingly, BJP’s Chief Minister in Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar yesterday alleged that drugs were coming to Haryana from Punjab and drug addiction is becoming a problem in districts along the Punjab border. Not only Khattar, the BJP MLA and Chief Parliamentary secretary Navjot Kaur Sidhu who attended BJP executive meeting alleged that drugs were being smuggled in red beacon vehicles in Punjab. She said that drugs were indeed a major problem in the state.
The statement by Sidhu left the state BJP leaders red faced. The state party leaders have demanded action against Navjot Kaur Sidhu. While top BJP leaders defended SAD on the drug issue, Navjot Sidhu a;lso stunned the BJP by stating her husband and member Rajya Sabha Navjot Sidhu would never come to attend the state BJP meetings as long as BJP continues alliance with SAD.BJP has changed its stand on drug issue several times depending on its political relations with SAD. The BJP has used the drug problem to put pressure on SAD to get due respect and share in governance. Former BJP President Kamal Sharma had blamed the SAD for shielding drug peddlers and also questioned the role of Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia who was summoned by Enforcement Directorate for questioning in drug related Hawala Money case. BJP National President Amit Shah had at one point of time announced to hold rallies against drugs in major cities of Punjab starting from Amritsar. BJP had even annlounced date of first rally to be held on Fenruary 2 (2015) in Amritsar. However, under pressure from Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal BJP was forced to postpone the ralies on the plea of announcement of Parliament elections. BJP had faced a humiliating defeat in Amritsar Lok Sabha seat where drugs and Majithia were key issues. The party candidate Arun Jaitely had lost to Capt Amarinder Singh at a big margin.