Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh
A day after Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ordered mandatory dope tests of all government employees, Punjab Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Aman Arora on Thursday underwent a dope test at a government hospital in Mohali district.
Veteran Congress leader Manish Tewari welcomed the move and tweeted, "Dope test of government servants for recruitment/promotions proposed by Punjab government is a welcome step. Must be made mandatory for all MLAs and MPs from state."
Punjab Minister Tript Bajwa also underwent dope test.
"It would not only set an example but will also remove the unreasonable classification between two classes of public servants."
Punjab is facing the brunt of rampant drugs abuse, especially among the youth and rural population.
"The Chief Minister has ordered drug screening to be done in all cases of recruitment and promotions as well as the annual medical examination that certain employees are required to undergo in accordance with the nature of their duties," a government spokesperson said.
Dope test would be made mandatory for all recruitment as well as promotions to be made by various Punjab government departments, he added.
The Congress government in Punjab is being questioned by the opposition parties for not doing enough to eradicate the drugs menace in the state despite promising to do so within four weeks of coming to power.
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On Monday,CM Amarinder Singh reiterated his government's commitment of making the state drug free and said he has decided to recommend death penalty for drug peddling as the same is destroying entire generations.
“Decided to recommend death penalty for drug peddling/smuggling.
Recommendation being forwarded to Centre. Since drug peddling is destroying entire generations, it deserves exemplary punishment. I stand by my commitment for drug free Punjab,” news agency ANI quoted him saying.
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Amarinder Singh convened a cabinet meeting to review the progress of the investigations and discuss ways and means of countering the menace.
Amarinder's 15-month old government has been under attack from the opposition for having failed to wipe out drugs from Punjab.
Amarinder, who had before the assembly polls in February last year vowed that he would eradicate drugs from the state within four weeks of coming to power, claims that his government has cracked down on drugs.
(With IANS inputs)
