Capt defends his order, says dope tests in army too

Defending his decision on mandatory dope test for government employees and police personnel, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday said that such tests were also conducted in the Army as a precautionary measure.

“The current situation in the state, where addicts are resorting to the use of concoctions due to scarcity and high price of drugs, has warranted such harsh steps,” said the Chief Minister while talking to mediapersons after the passing out parade at the Police Recruit Training Centre at Jahan Khelan in Hoshiarpur.

He said that the pressure mounted on the drug smugglers and mafia had choked the supply lines, forcing addicts to go for concoctions, which were resulting in instantaneous deaths. “As far as dope test for politicians or elected representatives was is concerned, I would leave the decision to their conscience,” he said.

Capt Amarinder said that the proposal for death sentence in the first instance of offence was also aimed at the elimination of the drug menace. “The increase in tip-offs received by the police and the large number of youth coming to drug treatment and rehabilitation centres showed that the people were also worried about the deaths being caused by the use of concoctions by the youth and are actively joining the government’s campaign against drugs,” he added.

The Chief Minister, on the problem of gangsters in the state, made it clear that law and order would be maintained by his government at all costs. “Many of the gangsters have already been eliminated while the rest had been warned to give up or face the consequences of their actions,” he said.

SIT REPORTS ON RAJ JIT, MAJITHIA BEFORE COURTS

Responding to the media queries regarding cases against Moga’s former SSP Raj Jit Singh, the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder said that the Punjab and Haryana High Court had already constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter and the report had been submitted to the court.

“With Raj Jit submitting his passport to the court, there was no danger of his fleeing the country,” he said..

Regarding former Akali minister Bikram Singh Majithia, the Chief Minister said that the SIT had submitted its report to the Court and the matter was before it.