Vibha Sharma
New Delhi, December 21
From China transgressions to Mundra port to Bollywood and actor Sushant Singh’s death, Lok Sabha members on Wednesday raised several issues during a short-duration discussion in the House on the drug-abuse problem in India and steps taken by the government to control it.
Cutting across party lines, members demanded more action on dealing with the rising menace of drug abuse with TMC member Sougata Roy asking if the government was thinking of capital punishment in cases of possession of drugs.
Roy also wondered why there were a lot of drug consignment seizures at Mundra port in Gujarat. “All drug dealings are happening through the dark web or cryptocurrency. What is the government doing to deal with this,” he questioned.
Rahul Shewale (SS) suggested the government take steps to stop the sale of certain cough syrups being sold without a doctor’s prescription. Flagging the issue of alleged suicide of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, he also wanted to know the status of the CBI inquiry on his death. Congress member R Unnithan said Rajput’s suicide (which is attributed to drug abuse) shows how drug abuse is affecting poor and celebrities both.
Congress member Gaurav Gogoi alleged that the government snooped on journalists and politicians, inviting a strong reaction from Home Minister Amit Shah. Taking a strong exception to Gogoi’s allegation, Shah asked him to prove his claim, cautioning that the House was not meant for “serious discussion and not reckless politics”.
“He must submit here the basis (of his accusation) in the House. Either his words are removed or he must submit the basis,” the Home Minister said.
While demanding to know about the kind of surveillance mechanism it had in place on land and sea borders, as well as international airports, to check the entry of contraband into the country, Gogoi also invoked China’s transgressions. “Today, Rahul (Gandhi) ji is saying that firm action needs to taken against China, but the Centre is hiding behind the Army, when the matter should be raised in the House. All important matters concerning the nations should be discussed in the House. People choose the government not the Army, which is why governments are answerable,” he said.
