Chandigarh, May 31 : Giving a clarion call to vote for the BJP for a progressive Punjab, state party chief, Sunil Jakhar on Friday said the answer to a drug-free Punjab lies in strengthening the party both at the Centre and the state.

In a statement on Friday, Sunil Jakhar said Home Minister Amit Shah had already shown the resolve when he said 'the BJP will not only end narcotic abuse in Punjab, the party will completely uproot the menace that Punjab is grappling with.'

'Punjab requires a political will to root out drugs. If need be, the BJP will open new offices of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other stringent measures to weed out the menace from Punjab's soil. Every vote for the BJP will save the generation,' he said.

Slamming the AAP government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, he called upon the electorate to deliver a decisive mandate in favour of the BJP if Punjab is to be released from the clutches of fear and threat.

Citing the example of Uttar Pradesh, he said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Yogi Adityanath Government has turned the state into a law and order-driven progressive state by uprooting the rule of the mafia and gangsters.

'Today Punjab's industry is relocating to UP. Punjab needs a strong leadership if its future has to be secure,' he said.

He said the government stands exposed with unbridled rampant drug abuse and unemployment.

Sunil Jakhar alleged, 'Today nobody wants to go to a minister's doorsteps fearing loss of dignity or outraging of modesty. The sad part is that the Punjab Congress has timidly surrendered before Mann fearing police action.'

He claimed that the Congress and AAP were in cahoots and were seeking votes not for Punjab's betterment but to see that they don't go to jail.

He asked, 'Why do Congress leaders not speak against AAP for its failure on drugs? Why don't they speak against Mann for forfeiting the interest of farmers by blocking the grant of Rs 6,000 under the Kisan Nidhi scheme? It's because Congress leaders in Punjab fear Mann. They fear going to jail for their corrupt ways and wrongdoings if they speak against Mann.'

/IANS