Chandigarh, Oct 14 Congress MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Wednesday
said the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota was a chilling reflection of the “deteriorating” law and order situation in Punjab, and asked Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to resign if his government cannot ensure the safety of its people.
Speaking to reporters in Mansa after meeting the family of Jhota, Warring said the drug menace is one of the biggest issues in Punjab and the Mann government has not been able to curb it.
He said Jhota lost his life while fighting against drug menace.
Jhota, known for raising his voice against drug abuse and the illegal sale of addictive substances, was shot dead allegedly by a medical store owner in a busy market in Mansa district on Tuesday.
Warring conveyed condolences to the family of Jhota, and said the Congress party stands with it.
“Today, I met the family of Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was brutally killed in broad daylight in Mansa a chilling reflection of the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab,” Warring said on X.
“This incident has shaken Punjabis across the world,” he said, adding people across the world are worried over the state getting trapped in the quagmire of drug abuse that has claimed the lives of many youths.
The Congress leader said many governments came and promised to wipe out the drug menace from the state but nothing happened.
Mann had promised to eradicate drugs within one-and-a-half-month and launched campaigns like anti-drug drive which “miserably failed”, he claimed.
The former Punjab Congress chief also dismissed claims that Jhota’s murder took place because of personal enmity.
He also questioned how the accused possessed a licensed weapon. “How could a man who was selling drugs procure a license for a weapon? That is a matter of investigation,” Warring, the Ludhiana MP, said.
“The question Punjab is asking today is simple: Who is accountable for this failure. A government’s foremost responsibility is to protect the lives of its citizens. When people are killed in broad daylight and the drug menace continues to threaten Punjab’s future, statements and publicity campaigns are not enough. The people deserve answers, accountability and decisive action,” Warring said.
“Bhagwant Mann, Punjab cannot afford any more excuses. If your government cannot ensure the safety of its people, it must take moral responsibility and resign,” Warring said.
He also said that his party will support the Punjab Bandh call for October 15 given by a joint action committee formed by various organisations following Jhota’s killing.
(PTI News)
