Strict law against drug smugglers to be introduced in Punjab says CM Mann

    Jalandhar/Amritsar, May 7 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said his government will bring an anti-drug law under which drug smugglers' properties will be confiscated.
     Speaking on the second day of his 'Shukrana Yatra', Mann accused previous governments of patronising drug traffickers, alleging that they allowed the menace to spread across Punjab.
     The chief minister has been leading the state-wide four-day yatra as a sign of "gratitude" for the implementation of the anti-sacrilege law.
     Mann further said that following the enactment of the anti-sacrilege law, the Punjab government will bring an even harsher law against the drug menace.
     "Now, properties of drug smugglers will be confiscated, they will face strict punishment, and easy bail will no longer be possible. Earlier, many accused even got bail directly from police stations. This system will end," he said.
     Mann also said those committing 'beadbi' (sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib) in Punjab will no longer escape punishment, asserting that it will ensure stricter punishment for sacrilege acts, including life imprisonment.
     While addressing gatherings at Adampur and Kartarpur, Mann lashed out at the Shiromani Akali Dal, alleging that, except for the Akalis, the entire 'Sikh Sangat' is welcoming the anti-sacrilege law.
     Thanking the people for showering immense love and affection during the 'yatra', Mann said he considers himself fortunate that the "almighty" entrusted him with the sacred responsibility of enacting a stringent law against the desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
     "Earlier, every few days, Punjabis had to hear painful news of 'beadbi', but the accused often escaped because the law was weak. With the blessings of the people and the grace of the Almighty, we got the opportunity to strengthen this law," he said.
     Targeting the BJP, Mann said, wherever the saffron party comes to power, it shuts down welfare schemes meant for the poor and common people.
     "They shut down 'Mohalla Clinics' in Delhi, and if they come to Punjab, they will do the same here, too. They are against pro-people initiatives and have a narrow mindset towards public welfare," he alleged.
     Referring to the twin blasts in Jalandhar and Amritsar, Mann repeated his claims that the saffron party was responsible for the incident, calling it "signs of the BJP's political entry tactics in Punjab".
     "Wherever the BJP goes, it spreads unrest and fear. They try to make Sikhs and Hindus fight among themselves, but Punjabis refuse to fall into this trap. Even during the darkest days of militancy, Punjab's communal harmony remained intact, and people celebrated festivals together," he said.
     During a rally in Amritsar's Rayya, Mann alleged that the BJP "thrives on hatred and divisive politics", adding that any renewed alliance between the Akali Dal and the BJP would once again prove that both parties are "two sides of the same coin."
     He warned that if such an alliance takes shape again, Punjab would suffer because the alliance is driven purely by political survival and self-interest rather than the welfare of Punjabis.
     "This unholy alliance is anti-Punjab, and both parties will ultimately destroy each other politically," he said.
     Thanking people for their continued support, he said neither the Akalis nor the Congress could be trusted because of their "dubious political character".
     He further slammed the Akalis for "monopolising religion and controlling religious institutions for political gain", alleging that office-bearers of religious bodies are appointed directly at the behest of the Badal family.
     He also paid obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
     Questioning the functioning of religious bodies, Mann said elections to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had not been held for the last 14 years and asked how such institutions could continue claiming constitutional legitimacy.
     Mann targeted Akali Dal MLAs for remaining absent during the Punjab Assembly session during which the anti-sacrilege law was passed.
     He said the Akalis "avoided" the debate because questions regarding sacrilege incidents during their own tenure would have surfaced.
     In Tarn Taran, Mann doubled down on the Akali Dal, accusing it of failing to deliver justice and shielding the guilty in the 2015 sacrilege incidents.
     Referring to the anti-sacrilege law, Mann said previous governments could also have enacted such a law, but they "lacked" honest intentions.
     Later, he also visited Ferozepur and Faridkot.

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