Amarinder failed to end drug menace as promised: Khaira

Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Sukhpal Singh Khaira today accused Chief Minister Amarinder Singh of failing to end the menace of drugs in the state as promised before winning the state polls.

"Amarinder has failed to honour his promise to end drugs menace within four weeks of assuming power," Khaira said after visiting the families of drug victims in Kotkapura, Taran Taran and Amritsar.

A large number of youth were dying everyday due to abundant availability of drugs but as it is considered to be a social stigma, parents often hide the cause of the death, Khaira added.

If a fair survey is undertaken by independent agencies, the number of drug related deaths in the state would be shocking, he said further.

Blaming the chief minister for failing to generate enough employment, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said the lack of jobs and the failure of agrarian economy has pushed the state's youth into drug addiction.

Khaira lashed out at the CM for following in the footsteps of former deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal by imprisoning over 50,000 addicts and petty drug peddlers, while letting the drug mafia go scott free.

The CM must break the politician-police-drug mafia nexus in the state to rein in substance abuse, he said.