The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab has strongly condemned the irresponsible and baseless remarks made by Himachal Pradesh Congress MLA Chandershekhar Thakur, who accused Punjab of being responsible for the drug problem in Himachal.
AAP senior spokesperson Neel Garg denounced the statement as a desperate attempt to deflect attention from the failures of the Himachal Pradesh government and Congress party. In his controversial statement, Thakur claimed that drugs like "chitta" are being supplied to Himachal from Punjab, alleging that Punjab has been actively working to destabilize Himachal’s youth.
Thakur also made unfounded remarks about Punjab's efforts to curb drug abuse and questioned the state's initiatives like the establishment of a military academy. Responding sharply to these allegations, Neel Garg stated, "The statement by the Himachal Congress MLA is completely baseless, devoid of facts, and a deliberate attempt to malign Punjab's reputation.
It is ironic that the Congress, whose leadership has repeatedly failed to control the drug menace in its own state, is now pointing fingers at Punjab." Garg further exposed the realities of drug trafficking in Himachal, highlighting that the state has several pockets involved in the manufacturing of synthetic drugs.
He said, "Himachal is home to illegal drug manufacturing hubs that have been repeatedly flagged by law enforcement agencies. Instead of addressing these hotspots and strengthening local policing, Congress leaders are busy playing the blame game."
Neel Garg did not mince words in criticizing the Congress for its hypocrisy, questioning the silence of Punjab Congress leaders like Raja Warring and Pratap Singh Bajwa. He demanded a clear stance from them, asking, "Why are Punjab Congress leaders silent when their own party’s MLA is defaming Punjab?
Are they in agreement with Thakur’s baseless accusations, or do they stand with Punjab in condemning such remarks?" Garg also reminded Thakur of the reality of drug trafficking across India, stating that drugs flow into Punjab from various states, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, as well as through international borders.
"Punjab’s youth have already suffered due to the drug menace, and it is shameful for Congress to further malign a state that has been battling this issue on multiple fronts," he said. Highlighting the failures of the Himachal Pradesh government, Garg added, "If Thakur is genuinely concerned about the drug problem, he should focus on why his government has been unable to safeguard its youth.
Himachal’s tourist hubs like McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, and Kasol have become hotspots for drug misuse under Congress rule. Instead of taking responsibility, Thakur is resorting to finger-pointing."