Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday lambasted Leader of the Opposition Sukhpal Khaira for his remarks accusing the Punjab government of failing to end the menace of drugs.

“Amarinder has failed to honour his promise to end drugs menace within four weeks of assuming power,” he had said after visiting the families of drug victims in Kotkapura, Taran Taran and Amritsar.

Speaking to reporters during an informal chat after distributing the compensation cheques to Jodhpur detenues who were arrested and detained in Jodhpur jail in the wake of Operation Blue Star in 1984, the CM said on Thursday Khaira was raising the bogey of drugs to secure political and personal gains.

“The Aam Aadmi Party leader evidently likes seeing his pictures in newspapers and on TV screens,” Amarinder said, adding that his government was well on its way to eliminate the drugs menace.

He claimed that drugs smugglers were under immense pressure as his government had tightened the noose around them.

Claiming that around 10,000 drug smugglers were in jail, Amarinder said one of the kingpins was lodged in Hong Kong prison and efforts were on to secure his extradition.

The government had information about three major drug suppliers having fled out of India, the CM disclosed. “The price of heroin has shot through the roof, further endorsing the success of the government’s anti-drugs campaign,” he said.

Replying to another question, Amarinder said he would ensure a probe into the allegation made by former cabinet minister Rana Gurjit about an addict being pushed into drugs by a policeman.

With heroin and chitta (synthetically produced drug) scarce in the market, he said, drug addicts were now resorting to other mixtures. Citing information received from various sources, Amarinder said the addicts were even using anti-addiction drugs intravenously to satisfy their cravings.

He said directives would soon be issued to ensure strict supervision by drugs to prevent misuse of such drugs by the drug addicts.

Calling for collective efforts by the government, the police and the people to free Punjab of drugs, the CM urged every Punjabi to come forward to take drug addicts to de-addiction centres and join the battle against drugs.