AAP MLAs bat for poppy cultivation and sale of opium in Punjab
The issue cropped up first during the question hour when AAP MLA from Sanaur Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra asked the agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian whether the government intended to cultivate poppy in Punjab to curb the synthetic drugs and if so, the time by when it is likely to be done.
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The Speaker said that earlier there were opium vends in Punjab which have been closed now. (Express Photo)In a development which initially dissolved the house in laughter and later got widespread support, several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs spoke in favour of allowing poppy cultivation in the state and sale of opium and poppy husk to wean away youth from synthetic drugs.
The issue cropped up first during the question hour when AAP MLA from Sanaur Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra asked the agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian whether the government intended to cultivate poppy in Punjab to curb the synthetic drugs and if so, the time by when it is likely to be done.
The question had the house in peels of laughter, including the Speaker, Kultar Singh Sandhwan. The minister replied that there was no proposal to cultivate poppy in the state. “The MLA has asked a question which has put a glow on the faces of many here. I am also entering an age where I may need such things,” he said eliciting more laughter.
NO ONE DIES OF OPIUM
The Speaker said that earlier there were opium vends in Punjab which have been closed now. He asked the minister to inform him later when they were closed.
Speaking after the minister’s answer, Pathanmajra said that drugs like smack and tablets have destroyed the youth of Punjab. “The situation has worsened after 2007 and now the situation is such that 136 de-addiction centres have opened in Punjab. In previous times people used to take traditional drugs and do their work too. No one can say that someone they knew died due to opium or poppy husk consumption. From 2020 to March 31, 2023 around 266 people have died due to addiction to synthetic drugs. From March 2023 to March 2024, 159 more people have died. Many countries in the world have legalised some drugs and these are traditional. Poppy cultivation is already taking place in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. If done in Punjab it will increase the revenue of the state,” he said.
The MLA went on to say that if the poppy cultivation cannot be allowed then at least vends should be opened in the state so that the youth of Punjab can be saved. He said the opposition too supported this view but was afraid to voice the same for the fear of being ridiculed.
Supporting the contention of Pathanmajra, another AAP MLA Manjit Singh Bilaspur said drugs, especially synthetic ones, have been the biggest problem in Punjab for the last 15 years or so causing great harm to the youth.
“I fully support the point raised by my colleague regarding cultivation of poppy. Our elders have been partaking opium or poppy husk and used to do all sorts of hard work in the field and no one used to die of it. I urge the government to seriously consider poppy cultivation. Many ‘vaid’ and doctors prescribe opium for patients of paralytic attack,” he said
Later, a third AAP MLA Kulwant Singh Bazigar also supported the demand for allowing cultivation of poppy in the state.
He said many mothers had lost their sons because of overdose of synthetic drugs.
AAP MLA Fauja Singh Sarari informed the house that when Giani Zail Singh was the Chief Minister of the state, a notification was issued by the state government for shutting down the opium vends in the state.
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