Direct Rajasthan govt to stop sale of opium, Badal tells Modi

The ruling Akali Dal in Punjab on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct Rajasthan government to ban sale of opium as Punjab was suffering due to that state’s policy to earn profit from sale of the narcotic.

In a statement issued here, senior SAD leaders including Maheshinder Singh Grewal and Daljit Singh Cheema said it was unfortunate that the Rajasthan government had licensed more than 17,000 opium vends. 

They said opium, which is available in the open in Rajasthan, is being smuggled into Punjab.

“This is causing social unrest in Punjab and needs to be addressed immediately”, they said adding any law which encourages addiction and even leads to smuggling of opium to a neighbouring state should be rescinded immediately. 

The SAD leaders also demanded that opium cultivation should be stopped in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as it was is finding its way into Punjab.

Grewal and Cheema also urged the PM to seal the international border with Pakistan. They said even though drugs were not produced in Punjab, they were entering the state from across the barbed wire fencing with Pakistan. 

The leaders said since the international border was guarded by the Border Security Force (BSF), the Centre should take steps to stop drug trafficking from across the border.

“This matter needs to be looked into and resolved quickly”, they added. The leaders said drug trafficking from across the border as well as smuggling of drugs into Punjab from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh could fuel narco-terrorism and should be seen as a serious threat.