Capt rules out ‘slowdown’ on VIP security

Thursday, 30/03/2017

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=175249&boxid=58966&uid=&dat=2017-03-30

Chandigarh : Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday ordered the transfer of the transport department official responsible for the error on the red beacon issue and ruled out any slowdown on the review and withdrawal of security to political leaders in the state.

Talking to mediapersons in the Vidhan Sabha gallery here, Singh made it clear that there would be no change in his government’s red beacon policy, as mandated in the Congress poll manifesto and ratified through a Cabinet decision.

His government, he said, was fully committed to end the VVIP culture in the state and there would be no further relaxation in the exemptions, barring those laid down by the Cabinet.

The Chief Minister made it clear that he and his Cabinet colleagues would not use the red beacons, which they had decided to voluntarily give up even though the Congress manifesto had exempted them.

Singh categorically stated that he had directed the Chief Secretary to immediately shift out the officers/officials responsible for Tuesday’s goof-up.

Removal of red beacons is part of his government’s commitment to eradicate the VIP culture in the state, he added.

He also ruled out any slowdown in the withdrawal or pruning of security to political leaders and officers, saying security was given based on threat perceptions.

The Chief Minister said he had directed the DGP to take necessary steps for implementing the security review decision in the interest of good policing and for the welfare of the police.

He said with the withdrawal of police personnel and doing away with the prevalent system of deploying police personnel on VVIP routes, the surplus policemen relieved from these superfluous duties would be available for posting in their respective districts to strengthen public policing.

I am after bigwigs in drug trade: Amarinder

Chandigarh : Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said his government would be after the bigwigs in drug trade and not the small users in the state.

Sending a clear warning to those indulged in drug trade, he said, “I want bigwigs and no small children will be picked up by the Special Task Force (STF) set up to eliminate the menace from the state.”

Talking to reporters at the press lounge in Punjab Vidhan here, Singh claimed that the previous SAD-BJP government “harassed” small users and children “in the garb of crackdown on drugs”.

“My sole priority will be to catch big fishes (involved in drug trade),” he said.

He said the STF has been given an “open hand” and directions have been issued to catch bigwigs regardless of who is involved in the drug trade.

The government will be after heroin and ‘Chitta’ (synthetic drugs), Singh said, adding that he had nominated Harpreet Sidhu as the head of STF.

The Chief Minister said the government was trying to strengthen the drug rehab centres and they would work in tandem with the STF.

Earlier during the proceedings in the Assembly, Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Akali leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia exchanged barbs over the drug issue. Sidhu screamed at the Akalis, dubbing them as “Banaras de thug (impostors)”.