Chemists observe a day's strike in Punjab

Chemists in Punjab today went on a state-wide strike to protest on various issues including what they claimed was a crackdown against them by the police and administration under garb of anti-drug drive.

Rakesh Aggarwal, Phagwara district chief of Punjab Chemists' Association, said all chemists shops and stores remained shut today.

In all the districts, he said that their delegations submitted memorandums to district administration officials addressed to the chief minister on their demands.

The chemists threatened to go on an indefinite strike if their demands were not accepted.

The demands included stoppage of "crackdown on chemists by police and administration under the garb of anti-drug drive", ban on on-line sale of medicines, halting inspection of shops by unauthorised officials and their alleged harassment by policemen over false charges, he said.

Aggarwal alleged that authorised chemists were being made targets by the police.

"We do not sell drugs, charas, ganja, opium or any other intoxicant. We only sell medicines prescribed by doctors. We are ourselves against the abuse of drugs and want Punjab to be free from the menance of chitta or other intoxicants," he said.