New Delhi, September 08 (H.S.): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab over the death of Gulzar Singh, a Dalit resident of Sangrur. The BJP alleged that the drug trade is flourishing in Punjab under the very nose of the Chief Minister, while the government has completely failed to curb it. The party demanded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann take moral responsibility and resign, and called for a fair and independent investigation into the entire matter, along with strict action against those found responsible.

Addressing a press conference held at the BJP headquarters on Tuesday, party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said that Gulzar Singh had questioned Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema about the growing drug trade in Punjab during the minister’s visit to his village. He had told the minister that his son was addicted to chitta (a colloquial term for illicit drugs, particularly heroin) and that he had been forced to sell valuable household belongings to pay for his son’s treatment. Despite this, the government allegedly took no action.

The BJP spokesperson alleged that after Gulzar Singh questioned the minister, he was pressured to apologise and was allegedly subjected to harassment. He subsequently consumed poison. In a video recorded before his death, Gulzar Singh reportedly held Harpal Singh Cheema and the village sarpanch responsible for his death.

Gaurav Bhatia said that a dying declaration is considered important evidence under the law. In view of this, he demanded that Harpal Singh Cheema immediately resign from the ministerial post to ensure an impartial investigation. He questioned Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, asking whether any action had been taken under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, given that Gulzar Singh belonged to the Scheduled Caste community.

He also questioned whether a case had been registered on charges of abetment to suicide and why the minister had not been removed from office so far.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar