Before SAD's tenure, Punjab did not know of gangsters or drugs: AAP

Chandigarh, Feb 24 (PTI) Punjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday said the people of the state did not know of gangsters or drugs before 2007 and they flourished under the Shiromani Akali Dal government.

The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) attack came in response to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal's statement at a rally in Ferozepur Rural constituency earlier in the day that gangsters and drug traffickers would be declared terrorists if his party came to power in the 2027 Punjab elections.

The rally was part of the SAD's 'Punjab Bachao' campaign ahead of the assembly polls.

AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu said it was hypocritical of those who "promoted gangster culture and drugs" in the state to now talk about launching a clean-up campaign.

He asked who was responsible for the rise of gangster culture and 'chitta' in Punjab.

Before 2007, people in Punjab were not familiar with gangsters or synthetic drugs. They flourished during the SAD government's tenure from 2007 to 2017, Pannu charged.

He said the AAP government, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, was carrying out a strong campaign against drugs and taking action against gangsters. PTI VSD DIV DIV