KALABURAGI: Hitting out at BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel for calling Congress leader Rahul Gandhi “a drug addict and peddler”, KPCC spokesperson Priyank Kharge suspected Kateel of consuming drugs to satisfy his frustration caused by the little or no importance being given to him either by his party or the media.
“He (Kateel) is making such comments to catch the attention of the media as he is not getting any importance. Former CM BS Yediyurappa, CM Basavaraj Bommai and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal have overshadowed him. I hope Kateel is not consuming drugs. But looking at the way he is making baseless and personal attacks on Congress leaders, it prompts me to suspect that he is into drugs,” the Chittapur MLA said. He said the drug mafia had become more active during the BJP regime. Priyank presented reports on the alleged involvement of BJP supporters in drug smuggling cases and abuse.
“The number of cases of drug smuggling in Karnataka has gone up from 255 in 2018 to 709 in 2019, and further to 2,766 in 2020. This year till date, the number stands at 3,337. The number of drugs seized has gone up from 1,053 kg in 2019 to 1,912 kg in 2020, and further to 3,255 kg till date this year. As per NCRB data, 1,113 people in 2018 and 1,230 people in 2019 committed suicide due to narcotic drugs.”
He said as much as 3,000 kg of heroin worth Rs 21,000 crore was recently seized at Adani-operated Mundra port in Gujarat. In June this year, another consignment of 25,000 kg of heroin worth Rs 1.75 lakh crore had landed in another Gujarat port. Let Kateel ask the Union Home Minister about his failure in controlling drug mafia,” he said.