7 out of 10 youths in Punjab are drug addicts: Rahul Gandhi
Congress scion's comment infuriated Shiromani Akali Dal,but Sukhbir Badal pinned blame elsewhere.
Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed seven out of 10 youths in Punjab have a drug problem,triggering a controversy with ruling Akali Dal asking how the Congress leader came to this “mathematical conclusion” on drug addiction in the state.
Winding up his two-day visit to Punjab,Rahul also said that youth is the future of this country and urged them to enter politics and bring a change.
The AICC General Secretary was addressing a rally organised by the National Students Union of India NSUI at Punjab University campus here this afternoon.
Making a mention of Punjab,Rahul said,”what is happening to human resources in Punjab. 7 out of 10 youth have the problem of drugs.”
Striking a chord with the youth,he told them “you have to run this country. You have the power and the knowledge to run it. We want you to come to politics,cleanse it and change it.”
I have been in politics for eight years. One thing I see clearly,the level and depth of participation of youth is not there. Whether in jobs,corruption,development,you are the solution and you can bring about a change,” said Rahul,wearing a white kurta and a blue jeans.
Reacting to Rahul’s remarks on the drug problem in the border state,SAD MP Naresh Gujral said,”I am not a mathematician like Mr Rahul Gandhi who after a flying visit to Punjab has discovered that 7 out of 10 children in Punjab are addicted to drugs.”
Gujral,however,agreed that it is a major problem and that the Centre’s attention has been drawn to it.
He said Pakistan has been pushing drugs into Punjab and it was like a proxy war.
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said Punjab government has no control over the flow of drugs into the state from Pakistan and that the problem was a national one.
Badal said it was the duty of the BSF which comes under the Central government to check the flow of drugs into the state.
Rahul also claimed that the Punjab government was not giving unemployment allowance to youth.
“We Centre send scholarship money for SC,ST categories. It is not utilised here in Punjab and is sent back” he claimed.
In Delhi,Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary said it was unfortunate that the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab has not found the use of drugs there. She said that there is no need to do politics on it.
Drugs is such an issue that there is a need to fight the menace transcending party lines. She said drugs is a “reality” in Punjab as in other states. “To deny something like that is unfortunate,” she said.
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