Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Mansa, Sangrur and Gurdaspur on October 20 to meet the families of three people who opposed the drug menace in Punjab. However, his proposed visit to Mansa has led to a disagreement between the Action Committee formed after the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota and Jhota’s father, Bhim Singh Fauji, over how political leaders should be received at the protest site.
According to the announced schedule, Shah will reach Mansa at 12 noon, Sangrur at 1:15 pm and Gurdaspur at 3:15 pm. The visits come after the deaths of Jhota in Mansa, Gulzar Singh in Sangrur and Bikramjit in Gurdaspur. All three were known for raising their voices against drugs.
As per some reports Shah is also scheduled to visit Ludhiana as well.
The Action Committee formed in connection with Jhota’s murder has announced that it will oppose Shah’s visit to Mansa. It has also objected to a possible meeting between the Union Home Minister and Jhota’s family.
During a meeting held on Sunday evening, the committee decided to ask Bhim Singh Fauji to maintain distance from Shah. Hardeep Singh, a leader associated with the committee, questioned the steps taken by the BJP-led Central Government to tackle the drug menace.
The committee’s position is that drug trafficking is not only a Punjab government issue and that the Centre must also take concrete action against the trade.
The committee has further stated that Shah will not be allowed to take the stage at the protest site. Its objections come as Jhota’s family continues its sit-in, demanding action in the murder case and a CBI investigation.
A meeting between the Action Committee and the district administration is scheduled for October 19. The committee is expected to raise its demands concerning the investigation, action against the accused and justice for Jhota’s family.
Meanwhile, Bhim Singh Fauji has publicly expressed his displeasure with certain people associated with the protest movement. In a video shared on social media on Monday morning, he alleged that decisions were being made without properly informing him.
Bhim Singh said decisions taken between October 13 and 16 were discussed with him, and he had no objection to the process during that period. However, he claimed he was not directly informed about discussions and decisions made on October 17 and 18.
He said he learnt about the outcomes of these meetings through other people, despite earlier assurances that he would be consulted.
Bhim Singh maintained that justice for his son remains his priority. He also said political leaders visiting the protest site to support the family should be welcomed rather than opposed.
His position differs from that of the Action Committee, which has announced its opposition to Shah’s proposed visit and meeting with the family.
Bhim Singh has reiterated his demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murder. He believes the Union Home Minister can take the matter forward and that the Central Government should initiate the process.
Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot dead in Mansa on October 13 after he allegedly opposed the sale of addictive medicines at a medical store. The incident triggered protests and demands for action against those responsible.
His family has been staging a sit-in since the incident. On Monday, October 19, the protest entered its seventh day. The post-mortem examination of Jhota’s body has not yet been conducted, as the family continues to press for its demands.
The family remains firm on five demands, including a CBI investigation into the murder. The dispute over Shah’s visit has emerged while the protest and negotiations over the demands continue.
Announcing his Punjab visit in a Facebook post, Shah accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of allowing the ‘chitta’ trade to flourish under its protection. ‘Chitta’ is a term commonly used in Punjab for heroin.
Shah said the deaths of people who raised their voices against drugs had caused grief among their families and that he would meet them to share their pain.
He also stated that attempts to silence people speaking against the drug trade would not succeed. According to his post, the Central Government would work to identify drug traffickers and send them to jail, with the stated aim of freeing Punjab and the country from drugs.
The October 20 visit is expected to bring the drug issue and the demands for justice in Jhota’s murder into focus. The Action Committee’s opposition, Bhim Singh’s appeal to welcome political leaders and the family’s demand for a CBI probe remain key developments ahead of Shah’s visit.
