Punjab Guv, CM discuss security, cross-border drugs smuggling with forces

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, along with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Saturday held a meeting with security agencies to discuss the border situation and thwart attempts to smuggle drugs and weapons from across the border.

This meeting involving the Governor, however, has been opposed by the Congress with its leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira dubbing it is an attack on the state’s rights and a “big humiliation” for the chief minister.

According to an official press release by the government, the main agenda of the meeting was to evolve a robust mechanism to strengthen the security of the six border districts “especially when the neighbouring country is finding ways to foment trouble in Punjab by drugs and weapons smuggling through drones”.

The two leaders were accompanied by the sarpanches and panches of the border villages, it said.

The Governor also called for complete co-ordination between the security agencies of the Centre and the state.

Meanwhile, Punjab Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira raised a question over this meeting.

“Its big humiliation for @BhagwantMann if the Governor is to take stock of security of border districts! This is surrendering Punjab's rights to an appointed agent of Center! @BhagwantMann should immediately clarify his position on this latest attack on our autonomy,” Khaira said in a tweet.

During the meeting, Governor Purohit expressed concern that the drugs from across the border were falling into the hands of even school-going children and sought people's cooperation in providing tip-offs to security agencies on such nefarious activities.

He also said that a scheme named ‘Agneepath’ will soon be unveiled to channelise the energy of the youth, especially those hailing from the border areas, towards constructive work.

The initiative will be intended at providing them adequate training, and employment in the army for four to six years.

I would lend wholehearted support to every effort made by the chief minister for taking up issues of Punjab's interest with the Government of India, the Governor said, adding that he would visit the border districts once every three months to take stock of the security situation.

Asserting that he did not want any compromise on the issue of national security, Chief Minister Mann said he will meet the Union Home Minister on April 12 during which he will press for providing state-of-the-art technological apparatus to the Punjab Police to curb the menace of cross-border smuggling through drones.

Punjab is the land of martyrs and has produced legendary revolutionaries such as Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh and Lala Lajpat Rai, he said, adding, now, the brave youth of the state are carrying forward their legacy by serving in the Army for defending the nation.

Mann said his government's focus will be on bringing industries to the border areas, in addition to schools, colleges and skill development institutions to provide job avenues to the youth, who he said, have talent in abundance but no means to harness it.

The state government is also sparing no effort to bring Sainik schools to Punjab with a view to produce future officers for the nation's armed forces, he said. The chief minister also said the issue of farmers having lands across the barbed wire fence will soon be resolved to their satisfaction.