Jalandhar (Punjab) [India], June 11 : Highlighting the sports personalities and sports equipment manufacturing industries in Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Wednesday that his government would "wash away the stigma of drugs" from the state through sports.
He was speaking to the media here after flagging off, along with Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, a shipment of rugby balls to London from Jalandhar.
"Today, a shipment of 25,000 rugby balls has been sent to London from here in Jalandhar... The Rugby World Cup has been played with rugby balls made in Jalandhar. The Cricket World Cup has been played with bats and balls made in Jalandhar... Even during the election campaign, Arvind Kejriwal said that Jalandhar should be established as a sports hub," Mann said.
"This time, the captain of our cricket team, Shubman Gill, the Captain of the women's cricket team, Harmanpreet Kaur, and the captain of India's football team, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, all are from Punjab... We will wash away the stigma of drugs on Punjab through sports," he added.
Kejriwal said that sports equipment used to be made on a large scale in Jalandhar. But due to drug abuse and the policies of the previous governments, the industry has weakened. The AAP government is making efforts to revive the industry, said the AAP leader.
"We just flagged off a truck carrying 25,000 rugby balls for the Rugby World Cup in England... This is a matter of great pride for Punjab and Jalandhar... There was a time when sports equipment was made on a large scale in Jalandhar," Kejriwal told reporters.
"Due to drug abuse and the governments that came to power, all this work stopped. Now, our effort is to bring back all those industries and make the existing industries here flourish," he added.
Mann also said that his government has a zero tolerance policy against drug smuggling and corruption.
"Action against corruption will continue in Punjab. We will not give an edge to anyone, even if he is politically powerful. We have a zero tolerance policy against drug smuggling and corruption," he said.
"Through this, no one will be targeted for illegal or vengeful purposes. But if proof is found against someone, that person will not be spared," he added.