States » NorthPosted at: Sep 30 2026 5:54PM


Congress's Verka targets Shah over drug-free Punjab pledge, questions Centre on cross-border smuggling

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Sep 30 (UNI) Punjab Congress working president and former minister Raj Kumar Verka on Wednesday hit back at union Home Minister Amit Shah over his pledge to make Punjab drug-free by December 2029, questioning the Centre's record in preventing the cross-border smuggling of narcotics and weapons.
Verka's remarks came after Shah, addressing the concluding rally of the BJP's Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra in Jalandhar, promised to eliminate "chitta", a commonly used term for heroin and synthetic drugs, from Punjab before December 31, 2029, if the BJP were voted to power.
"If drugs and weapons are continuously coming from across the border through drones, then what is the Home Ministry doing?" Verka told reporters.
He said the BJP had been in power at the Centre for more than a decade and questioned how consignments of narcotics and weapons were continuing to cross the Pakistan border despite the deployment of the Border Security Force.
Verka also targeted Punjab's AAP government, accusing both the Centre and the state government of failing at different stages in tackling the narcotics network.
"Drugs are coming from across the border under Amit Shah's nose, while Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal's government is failing to stop their sale inside Punjab," Verka alleged.
He also alleged collusion between the BJP and AAP, but did not provide evidence to substantiate the charge. There was no immediate response from the two parties to his allegations.
Turning to law and order, Verka alleged that gangsters were operating extortion and narcotics networks from Punjab's prisons through mobile phones and accused the state government of failing to curb organised crime.
The Congress leader also invoked the farmers' agitation against the three now-repealed central farm laws, saying Punjab had expected Shah to announce measures for farmers, employment, industry and the state's economic development during his visit.
"We expected him to bring something for Punjab, for farmers, employment and industry. Instead, he has returned after making another promise," Verka said.
On repeated summons to Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, Verka said investigating agencies should act on evidence rather than use the legal process for a political vendetta.
"If there is evidence against anyone, take action according to the law. But repeatedly summoning and harassing someone merely out of political vendetta is not right," he said.
Asked about speculation over a possible BJP-SAD alliance, Verka took a swipe at both parties.
"Mathematics has a simple rule: even if two zeroes are put together, the result remains zero," he said.
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Tags: #Congress's Verka targets Shah over drug-free Punjab pledge# questions Centre on cross-border smuggling
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