Himachal's Drug Fight: Women Penalized, Opposition Raises Alarm

Jai Ram Thakur, Leader of Opposition in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, has called for the withdrawal of cases against Mahila Mandal members who highlighted drug abuse in Bilaspur. He criticized the government for targeting the women instead of tackling the drug menace, which he claims is rampant in the state.

The Leader of Opposition in Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Jai Ram Thakur, expressed strong criticism on Tuesday over the treatment of women involved in anti-drug activities in Bilaspur. Thakur demanded that charges against these women, members of a local Mahila Mandal, be dropped, calling the legal actions 'shameful and unfortunate'.

Participating in a protest led by the Bilaspur BJP, Thakur targeted the state government for its alleged negligence in addressing the drug problem. He asserted that those enabling drug trafficking have close ties with those in power, questioning why women had to patrol their panchayats in the first place.

Highlighting the failure of the police, Thakur lamented that ordinary citizens are being penalized for taking on responsibilities that should lie with law enforcement. He emphasized that while drug issues, particularly involving 'Chitta', escalate, the government appears more interested in targeting activists rather than addressing the core problem.

(With inputs from agencies.)