DW BUREAU / Ludhiana

AAP Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia on Tuesday lauded the Bhagwant Mann government's anti-drugs campaign and said, under the guidance of party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, the menace would be wiped out from the state.

Sisodia and AAP's Punjab president Aman Arora, while addressing a press conference, outlined the Punjab government's strategy to counter the drugs menace.

In a meeting with Kejriwal and AAP leaders on Tuesday, it was decided that AAP and the Punjab government would jointly run a campaign against drugs to ensure that the state could become drugs-free. The Punjab government recently launched Yudh Nasheyan Virudh -- a major crackdown against drugs in the state.

Sisodia said while meetings of other political parties revolved around strategies to gain power, AAP's meetings focused on people's issues.

The former Delhi deputy chief minister, referring to the Congress, BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal, also alleged the drugs menace spread in Punjab because previous governments provided political protection to traffickers.

However, the AAP government is taking strict action against those involved in trafficking drugs and sending them to jail, he added.

Previous governments "used the Punjab Police to protect drug traffickers" while the AAP government is using it to wipe out drugs, Sisodia claimed.

In the past month alone, around 2,500 cases against drug traffickers have been registered and about 4,500 people arrested, he said about the ongoing drive.

The houses of 54 traffickers have been demolished. Around Rs 6.50 crore in cash and seven lakh intoxicant capsules, along with a significant quantity of other narcotic substances, have been seized, Sisodia said. These figures clearly show how seriously the AAP government is tackling the drugs problem, he added.

Issuing a stern warning to traffickers, Sisodia said those involved in smuggling drugs must shut down their operations or be prepared to go to jail.

Under the AAP government, not a single trafficker will be spared, he said. Sisodia also announced that another anti-drugs campaign would be launched in Ludhiana on Wednesday.

"Thousands of NCC (National Cadet Corps) and NSS (National Service Scheme) students will take an oath that they will never consume drugs and will encourage people around them to stay away from drugs as well," he said.

Sisodia said these students would urge shopkeepers, pedestrians and locals to take an oath against drugs and also spread awareness in the city.

(editor@dailyworld.in)