Law and order deteriorating in Punjab: Ashwani Kumar

NEW DELHI: A senior Congress member on Friday alleged in Rajya Sabha that the law and order situation was deteriorating in Punjab and "dark clouds of terrorism" were looming over the state again.

Making a Zero Hour mention amidst slogan-shouting by BSP and SP members in the Well, former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar said Punjab was facing a "grave situation" with law and order "deteriorating", as sentiments were being stroked in the name of religion decades after militancy ended there.

The social atmosphere was being charged up in the name of religion; he said and claimed "there are dark clouds of terrorism looming over Punjab again."

"Youth are roaming around with naked swords intimidating the public," he said alleging that memorials for "killers" of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and former chief minister Beant Singh were being built. He also claimed that a large chunk of the youth in the state had fallen victim to drugs.

Kumar said no issue is bigger than terrorism and such forces have to be reined in.