Drugs biggest problem in Punjab, admits Arvind Kejriwal

In what appears to be a reflection on his own party’s government, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Friday admitted that the drug issue remains the biggest problem in Punjab.

He said though the state government was working hard to curb the menace, Punjab could not be freed of drugs without public support.

Kejriwal exhorted people to report drug cases to the police. “We will also act against police personnel if they fail to act on anti-drug complaints,” said the former Delhi CM.

He called upon the newly elected sarpanches to act together to free their respective villages of drugs and bring them back on the path of overall development for which he assured full government support and cooperation.

Kejriwal was speaking during a state-level function at Dhanansu village near Ludhiana where Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann administered the oath of office and secrecy to 10,031 new village heads from 19 districts across Punjab.

Issuing stern warning against corruption, the AAP supremo said those indulging in corruption would be sent to jails irrespective of their positions and party affiliations. Mann said all newly elected sarpanches would get equal treatment from the state government. He called upon them to work for the development and progress of their respective villages by rising above petty politics. “Sarpanches are the foundation of any country and state. If our foundation is strong, then only we can progress,” the CM said.

Mann and Kejriwal urged the sarpanches to make every decision in full public view to ensure transparency in development works. “It is imperative to ensure optimum utilisation of public money for the welfare of public and comprehensive development of the villages,” they said.

The AAP leaders said if the sarpanches perform their duties well, they could transform the destiny of the common man and their villages.

Kejriwal said it was heartening to learn that around 3,000 panchayat representatives had been elected unanimously.

Mann said 13,147 new panchayats had been elected during the recent polls.

While 10,031 sarpanches from 19 districts were administered oath, the remaining sarpanches from four districts - Muktsar, Hoshiarpur, Barnala and Gurdaspur - besides 81,808 newly elected panches from all 23 districts would be sworn-in after November 20 Assembly bypoll to four Vidhan Sabha constituencies in the state.

Mann assured the sarpanches that there was no dearth of funds for developmental works in villages. He asked the sarpanches to prioritise development works of their villages for systematic execution.

Rise above politics

• Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called upon newly elected sarpanches to work for the development and progress of their respective villages by rising above petty politics
• AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal said it was heartening to learn that around 3,000 panchayats in Punjab had been elected unanimously