New Delhi: BJP MP from Mandi and Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has expressed concern over the rising drug problem in Himachal Pradesh, warning that if strict action is not taken, the situation could become like some villages in Punjab “where only widows are left”.
Speaking to the media in Delhi on Friday, Kangana said, “Drugs are reaching Himachal from Pakistan via Punjab. Children have even sold their parents’ jewellery. Drug addicts lock themselves in rooms, shout, steal, smash vehicles and furniture, and ransack houses. This has made the situation worse than death.”
Her remarks came while backing Himachal Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla’s recent warning comparing the state’s drug situation to “Udta Punjab”. The governor had cautioned that Himachal could face a similar crisis if immediate steps were not taken to curb drug trafficking and addiction.
Kangana’s comments have drawn a sharp response from Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party.
Reacting to her remarks, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said, “She should control her statements. She often tries to stay in the media by making wild and absurd comments. She does not yet have a proper understanding of society and keeps making indecent remarks towards society and women every day.”
