Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla raises alarm over rising drug-related deaths in Punjab

Chandigarh [India], May 16 (ANI): Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla on Friday addressed a press conference, raising concerns over rising deaths due to substance abuse in Punjab, particularly in Amritsar, and held the state government accountable for the worsening situation.
Speaking to the media, Aujla said, "The main issue of today's press conference is that children in Punjab are dying due to drugs. I became an MP in 2017. Even in 2018, many children were dying due to injection-based drug use, and I had raised my voice back then."
He further said that he had written multiple letters to the Punjab government and the administration in 2022 and 2023, warning them of the deepening crisis.
Referring to the recent suspected spurious liquor-related deaths in Amritsar, Aujla said, "Now so many people have died due to liquor in Amritsar, and many are still admitted in hospitals."
He stressed that the issue should not be politicised and called out the state leadership. "When the current Chief Minister was an MP, he used to raise his voice against drugs. But even after three years of becoming the CM, he has barely spoken about it. Today, the responsibility for these deaths lies with the Chief Minister."
Aujla said the drug situation in Punjab has deteriorated severely, adding, "The condition of Punjab with regard to drugs is very bad. Lakhs of people in Punjab have already lost their lives due to this menace."
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced a 'Nasha Mukti Yatra' amid the ongoing "War Against Drugs" in Punjab, which has been initiated by the administration to eliminate drug abuse in the state.
He will be accompanied by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in this endeavour to curb drug abuse in Punjab. He said that the 'Nasha Multi Yatra' would reach each village and ward in Punjab to strengthen people's resolve against drug abuse and the selling of drugs. It would also focus on convincing people to provide treatment to drug addicts to ensure their well-being.
"From today, the Nasha Mukti Yatra is starting in Punjab. This Yatra will go to every village and every ward of Punjab. Through this Yatra, people will now be connected with the Nasha Mukti Abhiyan. In every village and every ward, people will take an oath that they will not consume drugs themselves, will not let anyone sell drugs in their area and will get the drug addicts treated and get them out of addiction," Kejriwal, former Chief Minister of Delhi, posted on X.
Kejriwal also said that in the last two and a half months, Punjab Police and Punjab Government had started a war against drugs and action was being taken against drug smugglers on a large scale. (ANI)