Drug crisis can't be tackled by hiding data: Punjab BJP leader Paramjit Kainth

Chandigarh: Punjab BJP's Scheduled Caste Morcha vice-president Paramjit Singh Kainth on Sunday claimed the AAP government failed to effectively implement its campaign against the drug menace in the state, and it remained limited to slogans and publicity.

He said nearly 280 people have lost their lives due to drugs over the past four years. The rising deaths from overdoses and spurious medicines show the government has failed to control the drug supply or put an effective life-saving system in place, the BJP leader alleged. He claimed the worst impact of this failure is being borne by the Scheduled Caste community and the youth of Punjab.

Emphasising the need for transparency, Kainth said data is crucial in the fight against drugs and demanded the Bhagwant Mann government make public detailed and updated information on drug consumption, supply routes and treatment outcomes.

Unemployment, economic hardship and lack of education and job opportunities have pushed many youths towards drugs, while inadequate and poor-quality treatment and rehabilitation facilities have worsened the situation, Kainth said.

This, he added, is deepening poverty and social inequality.

The BJP leader alleged a wide gap between policy formulation and implementation, claiming the government action has largely been limited to small-time traffickers, while major smugglers and organised networks have escaped.

He also alleged a lack of accountability, political interference and corruption in the system, which has benefited the drug mafia.

Kainth further said drug addicts are being treated as criminals rather than patients, government de-addiction centres are limited, and follow-up mechanisms are weak, leading to high relapse rates.

He appealed to the Punjab government to move beyond slogans and take concrete steps, including dismantling drug supply networks, strengthening treatment and rehabilitation systems, ensuring administrative accountability and implementing employment-oriented reforms for the youth.