Chandigarh, July 5: The political atmosphere has heated up in Punjab after Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh decided to approach the Centre for the death penalty to drug peddlers. Yesterday, Singh also ordered a dope test for all government employees of the state. Opposition parties, however, held the Amarinder government responsible for the drugs issue in the state.

Talking to news agency ANI, Singh said, “Decided to recommend the death penalty for drug peddling/smuggling. Recommendation being forwarded to Centre. Since drug peddling is destroying entire generations, it deserves exemplary punishment. I stand by my commitment to drug-free Punjab.”

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal took a jibe on the state government. She said, “All those leaders including those who called 70% Punjabis 'Nashedis' should undergo the dope test first.” Former cabinet Minister of Punjab and leader of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Anil Joshi also slammed the government for not being able to stop the drug menace in the state.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Parliament (MP) Bhagwant Mann also took a dig at the government's move for conducting dope test for government employees. In his tweet Mann said that drug traders were patronised by leader in connivance with the police. The AAP member of parliament from Sangrur also accused former Cabinet Minister of Punjab Bikramjeet Singh Majithia of having connections with drug traders.

The Congress during its election campaign had promised to curb drug menace in the state. The Congress even held the Akali government responsible for involving in drug peddling . Recently videos of Punjab Police employees high on drugs are going viral on social media.

According to a recent study, 70 percent of youth in Punjab are indulged in drugs. As part of a drive to get rid of the problem of drugs in the state, the state government even recommended to The Centre to give death penalty for drug peddlers. The chief minister also said that he was committed to ending drug menace in the state.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 05, 2018 09:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).