Chandigarh, Oct 20 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday assured justice for the family of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was allegedly murdered for raising his voice against drugs in Mansa, by announcing that a team from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would reach their residence by 12 noon on Wednesday and begin investigating the case.
During his visit to Mansa, Shah met the family of Jhota and assured them that justice would be delivered. The meeting lasted around 20 minutes.
During the interaction, Shah announced that a team from the CBI would reach Jhota’s residence and begin investigating the case. He met Bhim Singh, the father of Jhota, along with other family members and expressed condolences.
The announcement came as part of Shah’s engagements during his day-long Punjab visit, which included meetings with families in three places and criticism of the state government over the drug menace.
This was Union Home Minister Shah’s second visit to Punjab in 20 days. Shah landed at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar in the morning. From there, he travelled to Gurdaspur, followed by Sangrur, before arriving in Mansa.
During his visit, Shah took to social media to criticise the state government, alleging that the drug trade in the state had spiralled out of control.
After meeting three families across three places, Shah is scheduled to reach Ludhiana, where he will set fire to a 121-foot-tall effigy of Ravana, reportedly the tallest in the state.
Responding to the Home Minister’s visit, former state unit party chief Sunil Jakhar wrote on X, “Mark my words! Amit Shah-ji's visit today will prove to be a turning point in Punjab's political landscape. His concern for Punjab has kindled a ray of hope in the hearts of Punjabis.”
In Toor Banjara village in Sangrur district, Home Minister Shah met the family of Gulzar Singh, who was allegedly driven to suicide for raising his voice against those involved in the trade of chitta (narcotic drugs), and expressed his condolences.
Earlier, he met the family of Vikramjit Singh, who was allegedly murdered by the drug mafia in recent days, at Mari Pannu village in Gurdaspur district. During the meeting, which lasted around 15 minutes, Home Minister Shah expressed his condolences and shared the family’s grief. On the occasion, the family also submitted a memorandum to the Home Minister.
State BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon, former State president Ashwani Sharma, Vijay Sampla and Fatehjang Bajwa were also present. The Home Minister assured the bereaved family that the Central government and the Bharatiya Janata Party stood firmly with them and that a decisive battle would be waged against drugs.
Later, family members said Home Minister Shah had assured them of justice and stated that he would also ensure a CBI investigation into the case.
Meanwhile, state Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema launched a sharp attack on the Central government and Home Minister Shah, questioning their failure to act against pharmaceutical drug manufacturers operating in BJP- and Congress-ruled states despite repeated appeals from Punjab.
He said the state government was taking stringent action against drug traffickers, but the Centre continued to ignore the sources supplying synthetic and pharmaceutical drugs to Punjab.
Cheema told the media here that the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann would pursue the fight against drugs with full force and would not allow political considerations or administrative obstacles to weaken its resolve.
“The main sources of synthetic and pharmaceutical drugs flooding Punjab are in states governed by the BJP and Congress, yet the Central government has failed to take decisive action against those manufacturing and supplying these substances. Punjab is fighting this menace on the ground, but the Centre is turning a blind eye to a serious threat to the lives of our youth, ” Cheema added.
Ahead of the visit of Home Minister Shah to the state, the AAP government reiterated its support for the family of slain activist Jhota and announced that his case will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in response to the family’s demand.