Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday agreed to take a dope test to silence critics of his government’s decision to test all state government employees for substance abuse.
While he agreed to take the test, he added that he would leave it to the conscience of other elected representatives if they wanted to follow suit.
“Ready to take a dope test and stand for what I believe is right! However, I leave it to others conscience to make their own judgment. Though I don’t think anyone should have any problem in taking such a test,” he tweeted.
Ready to take a dope test and stand for what I believe is right! However, I leave it to others conscience to make their own judgment. Though I don’t think anyone should have any problem in taking such a test.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) July 5, 2018
The Punjab government’s decision had drawn sharp reaction from the employees and opposition parties, who wondered why the CM had spared legislators from the medical test.
Also Read | Amarinder Singh, cabinet ministers should undergo ‘dope test’: Punjab opposition
The chief minister was responding to demands from certain sections, including the opposition parties and also from within the Congress, that politicians should also be made to undergo dope tests as had been mandated for government employees.
“He said no fingers had so far been raised at any politician in the existing regime of complicity of any kind in drug abuse or trading. However, if any minister or MLA feels the need to offer to take the test, they are welcome to do so,” Amarinder Singh said.
On Thursday, AAP MLA Aman Arora had challenged Amarinder Singh to undergo a dope test to set an example for his ministers and MLAs. Arora underwent a dope test at the Mohali civil hospital, saying he considered it his moral responsibility to do so.
Read More | AAP lawmaker Aman Arora undergoes dope test in Punjab
Earlier this week, Amarinder Singh had announced all recruits into the government and the police will face the dope test. The employees will also undergo the test before every promotion.