His comment was in response to Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal's comment wherein she said that those who had accused 70 per cent Punjabis of being drug addicts are themselves embroiled in drugs. (Photo: Reuters)

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy on Thursday accused Congress President Rahul Gandhi of taking narcotics.

"Rahul Gandhi certainly takes narcotics, especially cocaine. He will surely fail a dope test," he told news agency ANI.

His comments were in response to Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal's comment wherein he said that those people who had accused 70 per cent Punjabis of being drug addicts are themselves embroiled in drugs. "They should take dope test,"she had said.

"I welcome her [Harsimrat] statement. The person she is referring to is none other than Rahul Gandhi. It was he who said 70 per cent Punjabis are drug addicts," Swamy said.

#WATCH BJP MP Subramanian Swamy says 'Rahul Gandhi takes cocaine and will fail dope test'. Swamy was reacting on Union Minister Harsimrat Badal's statement 'those who called 70% Punjabis 'Nashedis' should undergo the dope test first' pic.twitter.com/TCMvQKL36X ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2018

These comments come in the backdrop of a renewed debate around drug addiction in Punjab.

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On Wednesday, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh wrote to the Centre recommending "death penalty to drug-related offenders on first conviction".

"We are firm in our resolve to wipe out the menace of drug abuse from Punjab," he said.

He has also ordered all cops and government servants in Punjab to undergo a dope test at the time of being recruited.

Meanwhile, the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party have demanded that Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and his cabinet ministers should themselves take dope tests.

Senior BJP leader from Punjab, Harjit Singh Grewal said, "Why should the dope tests be limited to the police and other employees only? The government should also conduct dope tests of the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues."

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"If drug-tainted politicians [are] in the government, they will continue to aid and abet the drug smugglers and peddlers," he said.

Responding to these demands, the chief minister said he is ready to undergo a dope test. "I have no problem taking a dope test. Given the gigantic scale of drug problem, nobody should be having problems about taking such a test,"he told ANI.

I have no problem taking a dope test. Given the gigantic scale of drug problem, nobody should be having problems about taking such a test: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on demands from him taking a dope test after he announced annual dope test for Govt officials pic.twitter.com/c74kLqPCBe ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2018

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