Former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Thursday said either drugs will remain in Punjab or the Shiromani Akali Dal, asserting that the SAD-BSP alliance, if voted to power, will go after those selling drugs to the youth.
“I assure my sisters that we will not victimise the youth who fall prey to the drug menace as was done by the Congress government. We will rehabilitate them in society and give them jobs.
"We will target the sellers. I promise you they will feel the heat. I am committed to removing the scourge of drugs from Punjab and will do my utmost to achieve this end”, she said while addressing a public gathering in favour of party Bathinda Rural candidate Parkash Singh Bhatti.
Claiming that the drug menace had increased 10-fold during the tenure of the Congress government, Badal said, “Congress legislators openly colluded with drug lords to not only patronise drugs but even became equal partners and even leaders in this heinous crime against humanity”.
She further alleged it was due to this open collusion between the Congress party and the drug mafia that drugs had entered each and every 'mohalla' in the state.
“We will end this menace once and for all”, she said in a statement.
Badal also led a blistering attack against Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi for “mouthing lies” by asserting that he had reduced electricity bills in the state.
“The truth is that the Congress government has presided over a fifty per cent increase in the average power bill in the last five years. It affected a minor reduction for a two month period to deceive the people into voting it to power. Channi knows that the reduction is till March 31 this year only. He should refute this fact if it is not true”, she said.
Taking on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Badal said it had largely given tickets to Congress turncoats and discredited persons.
She accused the AAP of selling its tickets. “How can such a party claim it represents the 'aam aadmi',” she asked.