Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has leveled serious allegations against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, claiming that the planned opening of a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) office in Amritsar, Punjab, is an attempt to further the political agenda of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rather than address the pressing issue of drug abuse in the state. Kejriwal's remarks come in response to Shah's announcement during a rally in Gurdaspur, where he pledged to establish the NCB office and initiate an awareness campaign against drug addiction in Punjab.
Expressing his concerns, Kejriwal questioned Shah's intentions, suggesting that the NCB office in Amritsar may be exploited to promote the BJP rather than effectively combat the drug menace. In a tweet in Hindi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader wrote, "Are you opening an NCB office or the BJP's (office) in Amritsar? How can the NCB work in villages through BJP workers? This means you have nothing to do with the drugs (menace) in Punjab. The BJP has to be promoted using the NCB."
Kejriwal further raised the issue of the drug problem worsening during the tenure of Shah and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government. He asked, "By the way, the drugs menace had spread during yours and (the) Akali Dal's government, Shah Sahib?" This exchange highlights the political rivalry between the AAP and BJP ahead of the upcoming Punjab elections.
In his rally speech, Shah took a swipe at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of neglecting law and order in Punjab while being preoccupied with nationwide tours alongside Kejriwal. Shah emphasized the Modi government's commitment to eradicating drug addiction in the country and eliminating the illegal drug trade in Punjab. He announced plans to establish an NCB office in Amritsar within a month and outlined the BJP workers' role in launching an awareness campaign against drug addiction, which will cover every block and village in Punjab.
