Punjab fighting against drug menace: Badal

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said on Thursday that Punjab was fighting a national battle against the drug menace and sought the support of other political parties.

Punjab alone was fighting the nation's war against drugs despite the fact that it was a global problem, he told reporters at a function near here.

"The worst part is that a few political parties, brushing aside the ground realities, are bent on maligning the hard working Punjabis through this malicious campaign," Badal said.

"Geographically Punjab is close to international border and the neighbouring countries try hard to smuggle drugs like heroin through the state. But their designs are foiled by the government," he said.

He said even the synthetic drugs were not at all produced in the state. But when the state took on these bad elements sternly, opposition parties started maligning the government.

Referring to the steps taken by the state for the rehabilitation of the drug addicts, Badal said the government was setting up drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centres in every district to enable the drug addicts to lead a happy life after being detoxified.

He said a rehabilitation centre would be inaugurated in Hoshiarpur on Friday.