Will deal with anyone trying to destroy state's peace with iron hand: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said he would deal with "Pak-based terrorists and gangsters" who are seeking to create problems in the state with an iron hand.

Delivering a speech in Vidhan Sabha he said, "I would deal with Pak-based terrorists and gangsters who are seeking to create problems in the state with an iron hand."

In his concluding remarks on the debate on the motion of thanks on the Governor's address in the budget session of the Vidhan Sabha, the Chief Minister made it clear that he would not let anyone destroy the state's hard-earned peace under any circumstances.

The Chief Minister said, "Government had worked hard to protect every section of the society, including the minorities, the weaker sections and women, by ensuring all-round peace, without which there could be no investment or industrial development in the state."

He said that Punjab and its people want peace, harmony and economic progress, and he was committed to ensuring that nobody is allowed to hinder the same.

"The people of Punjab want growth with peace and amity, and that is the endeavour of our government," he said.

"We have not and shall not allow hard-earned peace of the state disturbed in any manner," he added.

In his speech, he said that law and order had received priority attention in his government, which had launched various legal and administrative reforms to ensure the same. Since 2017, Punjab Police had neutralised 2,378 gangsters, captured 1,349 firearms, recovered 614 snatched vehicles, and busted about 32 terrorist modules in the State.

"These efforts shall continue and if so required, we will not hesitate to take every possible stern action to maintain law and order in the state," Singh said.