Punjab government recommends death penalty for drug smugglers, peddlers
‘Since drug peddling is destroying entire generations, it deserves exemplary punishment,’ Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said.
The Punjab government on Monday recommended the death penalty for people convicted of smuggling or peddling drugs.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the state will forward the recommendation to the Union government. “Since drug peddling is destroying entire generations, it deserves exemplary punishment,” Singh said on Twitter after a Cabinet meeting on Monday. “I stand by my commitment for a drug-free Punjab.”
Ahead of the Assembly elections in the state last year, the Congress had promised to end the drug menace if voted to power.
My govt has decided to recommend the death penalty for drug peddling/smuggling. The recommendation is being forwarded to the Union government. Since drug peddling is destroying entire generations, it deserves exemplary punishment. I stand by my commitment for a drug free Punjab. pic.twitter.com/dXZTsDwVpf
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) July 2, 2018
State Minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa said the state has also decided to constitute a sub-committee to review the state’s rehabilitation programme, according to The Tribune.
“The Cabinet also decided to constitute a special Working Group under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary [Home] NS Kalsi to review and monitor, on a day-to-day basis, the action being taken to check and control drug abuse,” a government press release said.
It added: “The special Working Group constituted to review and update the Government strategy against drugs will have Additional Chief Secretary [Health] Satish Chandra, Director General of Police [Law & Order] Ishwar Singh, Director General of Police [Intelligence] Dinkar Gupta and Additional Director General of Police [STF] HS Sidhu as members.”