Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Chandigarh, May 29, 2013: “Every Punjabi is worried about the drug menace and is trying its best to overcome this menace. To plug the smuggling of drugs, its sale and drug addiction in the State of Punjab, the State has already vigorously registered cases under N.D.P.S. Act. The population of teenagers is the worst affected lot due to inflow of contra-bands.”
These facts have quoted by Virsa Singh Valtoha, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Punjab, in a letter to Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India.
Urging the PM to play a pro active role in saving the food basket as well as custodian of India’s frontier ‘Punjab’ from the menace of drug being smuggled from its border adjoining with Pakistan, Valtoha said that the State of Punjab has played a leading role in the progress of nation in every field. More than 80% of the people belonging to State of Punjab have sacrificed their lives for our country. Even in the two wars of 1965 and 1971, the Punjabis have fought bravely with Pakistani forces. With their hard work, The Punjabis have produced surplus food grains for the country which account for more than 50% of the total production in the country. The neighboring enemy countries have always tried to weaken our country internally by trafficking the drugs into the Punjab. It has always been their policy to dislodge India first. Because of nefarious designs of Pakistan, Punjab has been worst affected in the grip of drugs.
MLA from Khemkaran constituency adjoining to the international border with Pakistan, Valtoha also wrote that, As per the latest survey of the total quantity of the drugs pedalled into the country, 70% comes through the borders of Punjab, whereas rest of the 30% sneaks through other borders touching Pakistan.
He apprised the Prime Minister that not only he himself but also the people of his constituency are aware of the activities, how the drugs are being smuggled into India with the help of bad elements active in the Govt. Agencies. Despite BSF being stationed over there, lying of barbed wire, having flood lights, the Pakistan smugglers are easily placing the drugs bags on our side, which fact is not accepted by anybody. The stage has come that the people living at Border have started thinking that not only Pakistan is trying to weaken our State of Punjab but the bad elements in the Government agencies have also adopted this attitude which is a very bad sign for the entire country.
He said that BSF officers have also admitted that 70% drugs are being smuggled through Punjab borders out of which near-by 50% is passing through Khalra-Khemkaran Sector (of my Constituency). BSF personnel know all these things but are they taking any necessary steps to control all this menace? Now the question that arises is whether they have increased their strength, put on night visions, fog visions or other latest hi-tech instruments/gadgets stationed/installed on this entire border-route? Whether any CCTV cameras are being placed on this entire route? The answer to all these questions is big “No” and that is why the people of my constituency are now convinced that Indian Government and BSF never wanted that this drug menace to be controlled effectively. The people of Punjab as well as people belonging to my constituency are totally convinced and are 100 per cent sure that the bad elements i.e. from lower level up to a higher level, working within the government agencies as well as within the BSF personnel are making a lot of money from this drug smuggling.
Chief Parliamentary Secretary made a vociferous appeal to the Prime Minister to save Punjab and India from this drug menace by taking very stern and effective action and the government agencies as well as BSF personnel should be made accountable for their total failure in controlling this drug menace