Anandpur's 350 aniv: Rajnath appeals to youths to shun drug

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today appealed to the youth of Punjab to take a pledge against the drug menace on the 350 years of foundation of the holy city.
BJP president Amit Shah, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal were among other political leaders to attend the event, which was missed Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was also invited, could not visit the event as he had meeting with visiting Tanzanian President.
Addressing the gathering, Singh said, "I know Punjab government is taking steps and trying its best to prevent it (the drug menace), but whenever I get this news be it Punjab or neighbouring states that youths are into drugs...I want the youths of Punjab to take a pledge on this historic day today that they will fight against drug menace wherever it exists,"

He said that while SAD-BJP government was taking steps to fight the scourge, but to completely root out the drug menace, it also needs whole hearted cooperation from the public.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Yoga Guru, Ramdev, religious leaders from different faiths, Union Ministers Vijay Sampla and Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Chattisgarh Governor Balramji Das Tandon, Punjab's Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar, were among others present on the occasion.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, today canceled her Anandpur Sahib visit in Punjab where she was to come face to face with Shah during the event. She was represented by her Irrigation Minister Dr Ram Pratap.

"Prime Minister telephoned me this morning and said though he was very keen to be part of this historic day, but engagements in view of the visiting Tanzanian dignitary would keep him busy in Delhi. He then enquired from me whether I was going for sure and I told the PM that no matter what I was headed to Anandpur Sahib," Singh said.
Meanwhile, a commotion occurred before Singh's speech as few youths allegedly from SAD (Amritsar) started sloganeering, but were frisked later by the police.
Reacting to the celebrations being termed as 'show of strength of ruling SAD 'as part of its "Panthic agenda", Singh told the Chief Minister to care least about such people who were spreading these falsehood.

"Badal sahib just said that some people charge that SAD bases its politics on communal agenda. I want to tell you Badal sahib that whatever the world may say, but one thing is clear the sacrifices made by the Khalsa Panth and the Sikh community for the sake of this nation to preserve its integrity, history, culture cannot be belied," he stated.
"In the entire world, there will be no other example where one finds such brave community (Sikhs) who not only sacrificed themselves, but also their children just to protect the integrity and culture of this nation," he said.