Punjab minister Arora hits back at governor for remarks on drug menace

    Chandigarh, Feb 2 (PTI) A day after Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit virtually put the AAP government in dock over drug and other issues, minister Aman Arora on Thursday hit back at him alleging that the governor was going around making political speeches and running a "parallel government".
    The housing and urban development minister said it was unfortunate that the governor was not keeping dignity of the post he held.
    Governor Purohit had called drug menace a major concern for the state.
    Talking to reporters here, Arora said, "It is unfortunate that the governor is not keeping dignity of the post he holds. It has never happened before that the governor of any state goes around making political speeches...Only for political benefits, you are causing harm to Punjab."
    "If there is any issue, he can bring it to the attention of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. But running a parallel government...it does not happen like this that selected will rule over an elected government," he said.
    Arora said the governor talks about the drug issue, but from where these contraband items are entering Punjab.
    "It is either from the international border and who is responsible (for manning the border), it is the Centre, either these (drugs) are routed from neighbouring state Haryana, where BJP is in power, or in previous days you must have seen drugs are entering Gujarat in large quantities through a port and reaching other parts of the country. Who is responsible, it is the Centre," he said.
    During his tour to border areas of Punjab, including Amritsar and Pathankot, on Wednesday, Governor Purohit had called drug menace a major concern for the state, saying drugs have permeated into schools too and asked the AAP government to seek Centre's help to check the menace.
    Purohit had also said there is need to improve security in jails as criminals are running rackets sitting inside and pulled up the authorities concerned, while pointing out that how do mobile phones seized from prisons reach there.
    The governor had said the state government has a responsibility and if they need help from the Centre they must seek it to control the menace.
    "This should not be taken lightly, we have to stop it at all costs," he added.
    Expressing concern, he said, "Had it been a small thing, would I have been going and touring districts."
    "I say this on their face that the police department is also affected. The jails are not in their control. There is a need for lot of improvement. They put them (criminals) in jails and from there they control the mafia...," Governor had said.
    On the second and final day of his tour, Purohit on Thursday said the scourge of drugs cannot be curbed without the support of villagers.
    He was interacting with sarpanches and panchayat members of 107 villages at a meeting in Ferozepur.
    With the governor and the Aam Aadmi Party government being involved in a squabble in the past over some issues, Purohit, in response to a question of reporters on Wednesday, had said, "Tell me a single example if I have told anything to government which is not according to the Constitution."
    "To protect Constitution, under which I have taken oath, is governor's responsibility. If any work is not according to Constitution, then I tell the government you are doing wrong. Is anything wrong in that? Is this politics?" he had asked.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)