Mohali, Oct 25 (PTI) Senior Congress leader and former health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu led a candlelight march on Sunday from Gurdwara Amb Sahib to Mohali’s Phase 7 to honour slain anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota and others who have fought against the drug menace in Punjab.
Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh and former Faridkot MLA Kuldeep Singh Kiki Dhillon also participated in the protest.
Participants lit candles and paid tribute to the departed soul, conveying a message of unity and collective struggle to eradicate drugs from Punjab, said Sidhu.
Punjab Congress Pargat Singh criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, stating that the drug menace continues to destroy families across Punjab, while the government’s claims of eliminating drugs are proving “hollow” in the face of ground realities.
He said the Bhagwant Mann government, which came to power on the promise of eliminating drugs, must explain to the people of Punjab what concrete steps it has taken to stop the supply of drugs and save the lives of young people.
He further stated that the people of Punjab, particularly parents and young people, should not have to bear the consequences of the government’s “failures”.
Addressing a gathering, senior party leader Balbir Singh Sidhu said the fight against drugs is not the struggle of any one individual, political party or organisation; rather, it is a collective battle for the entire state of Punjab.
He called for strict action against drug traffickers and those involved in the illegal trade.
Sidhu also advocated proper treatment, counselling and rehabilitation facilities for young people struggling with addiction so that they can be reintegrated into the mainstream of society.
Noting that raising slogans or launching campaigns against drugs alone would not solve the problem, Sidhu pushed for continuous and effective action at the grassroots level.
He further stated that parents across Punjab are deeply concerned about their children’s future, and protecting young people from drugs is one of the most pressing needs of the hour.
Known for raising his voice against the alleged illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, Jhota was shot in broad daylight inside a medical store in a busy marketplace in Mansa on October 13. The incident occurred while he was hosting a Facebook Live session.
Ashwani Kumar, the store owner who allegedly opened fire on Jhota after the activist questioned him over the sale of drugs to an elderly man, was taken into custody from Rajasthan’s Salasar.
The killing triggered a political slugfest in Punjab, which goes to polls early next year. PTI CHS MPL
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