Some forces are out to play politics on drug issue: Sukhbir

Asserting that "Punjab is not a den of drugs", Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said some forces were deliberately dubbing the state and its people as "drug addicts" to gain political mileage.
"Punjab is not a den of drugs and the state is fighting the country's war against drugs, which will be taken to its logical end soon. Some forces were out to play politics on the issue of drugs by resorting to false propaganda for their selfish political interests," Sukhbir said after hoisting the national flag here to mark the 66th Republic Day.
Stating that the malicious campaign was harming the hard-earned image of "brave Punjab and Punjabis", he gave a clarion call to parents, social, religious organisations and the common masses to join hands with the Punjab government in its war against drugs.

Sukhbir said with the active participation of Punjabis, this war would become a social movement.
Claiming that Punjab has turned power surplus, the deputy chief minister said the dream envisioned by the SAD-BJP government in 2007 has been converted into reality.
He said Punjab is also going to become the first state in the country to introduce 4G-connectivity in urban as well as rural areas. "By December, 4G connectivity will be made operational at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore," he said.
Sukhbir said all major cities in the state would be connected with 4/6-lane road network in the coming two years. The Centre has approved road projects worth Rs 18,000 crore, which has been announced recently by Union Road Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari during his recent visit to Punjab, he said.

Work for all these road projects will start in full swing in the coming months, he added.