The BJP on Friday staged a walkout from the State Assembly over the increasing drug menace and alleged police involvement in drug smuggling in Himachal Pradesh, raising slogans against the ‘chitta mafia’ in the state.
“The Congress government has not only ruined the state financially but has failed to check the drug menace, which is ruining the young generation,” said Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, who raised concerns about police involvement in drug smuggling in the House.
Cops in the anti-drug Special Task Force (Central Range) had allegedly intercepted a large drug consignment in Kullu district but kept a significant portion of the contraband with themselves instead of registering a case. They were later arrested by the Shimla Police for alleged involvement in an LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) smuggling network.
Talking to the mediapersons later, Thakur said the incident was shocking, as the very cops assigned to check drug smuggling were colluding with drug traffickers. He said in three years of Congress rule, the drug menace had spread to villages due to lack of checks. The police officers selected for the STF, who should have undergone a 360-degree integrity test, were reportedly helping the accused and got involved in LSD smuggling themselves.
“It is a matter of serious concern. I am sorry to say that when we raised this issue, the Chief Minister and his ministers were laughing in the House. What is even more serious is that some police officers were also laughing. If we raised the issue in the House, where were we wrong?” Thakur said.
He criticised the Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, for being satisfied with holding walkathons on the drug issue rather than taking concrete action. “Children in Bilaspur had to stand under the sun from 10 am to 3 pm waiting for the CM to attend these events. Crores of rupees are being spent on this, but will it actually curb the drug menace?” he asked.
Thakur further claimed that the CM accused the BJP of sleeping on the matter during their five years in power. “I must say our efforts to check drugs were significant and effective. During our tenure, drugs had not reached villages because we were strict on borders and worked on the ground. The current government seems satisfied with slogans alone,” he said.
The Leader of Opposition added that police officers were more focused on pleasing the Chief Minister than ensuring honest personnel were in the STF. “The STF included cops with no integrity. Who is responsible for this? It appears those involved in drug smuggling are being sheltered,” he said. Thakur urged the state government to take the issue seriously and act wherever necessary.
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