Punjab Cabinet Minister and the state president of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Mr. Aman Arora, on Saturday, gave a clarion call to all the political parties, social and religious organisations and NGOs to come forward to join hands with the Punjab Government to form a united front and make Punjab a drug-free state. He was addressing the media here after the high-level meeting of the 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee formed to combat the drug menace.
“It is a collective responsibility of 3 crore citizens of Punjab. We must stand united and fight this menace with all our might,” Mr. Aman Arora said, while adding that the state government and police alone cannot extricate Punjab from the deep swamp created by previous governments. Mr. Aman Arora expressed confidence that by working together, Punjab can overcome this challenge and create a healthier and vibrant Punjab, as envisioned by AAP Supremo Sh. Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Mr. Aman Arora stated that the Punjab Government has made a comprehensive 360-degree action plan to completely eradicate the drug menace from the state. This plan also includes prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation measures to help victims return to mainstream life.
Where Police authorities are dealing drug traffickers with iron hands, they have been directed to treat drug users with empathy and compassion, viewing them as patients in need of help, he added. He highlighted the devastating impact of drug abuse on individuals, families, and society as a whole, saying, "This is a battle we must win together.
We need the collective strength and commitment of every stakeholder to effectively address this complex issue." "I assure you that we will not rest until we completely wipe out this menace from the state. It's a matter of the existence of Punjab, the land of saints, sages, and warriors.
It was deliberately pushed into this swamp by the previous regimes for their personal gains," Mr. Aman Arora said. He also gave a clear and loud message to drug smugglers, warning them to leave the smuggling or leave Punjab or ready to face the consequences.
While reiterating the commitment of Punjab Government to deal with the drug smugglers with iron hands, he also appealed to parents and family members of drug users to take them to government drug de-addiction centres or OOAT clinics for treatment. He informed that the state government has made adequate arrangements for proper care of drug victims.
He assured them that if they face any difficulties, they can contact local authorities for immediate resolution, and the state government is standing by them to help them out from this situation.