Party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate questions silence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP leadership; alleges political links
NEW DELHI — The Congress has demanded a judicial probe into an alleged multi-crore drug scam involving the large-scale production and distribution of codeine-based cough syrup, which it claimed has fuelled addiction across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and even neighbouring Nepal.
Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters here on Wednesday, Congress spokesperson and Chairperson of the Social Media and Digital Platforms, Supriya Shrinate, along with national media panelist Sadhna Bharti, questioned what she described as the “deafening silence” of both the Uttar Pradesh government and the BJP-led Union government on the issue.
Shrinate alleged that the kingpin of the scam, Shubham Jaiswal, a resident of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, had close links with Dhananjay Singh, national general secretary of the Janata Dal (United), an NDA ally. She claimed Singh publicly referred to Jaiswal as his “brother” and raised serious questions over how the accused was allegedly allowed to flee the country.
Claiming that the illegal codeine trade had “destroyed the lives of tens of thousands of young people,” Shrinate said Jaiswal had amassed nearly ₹500 crore over the last five years through the illicit operation. She accused the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh of allowing the production and supply of codeine syrup to continue unchecked for years.
The Congress leader also targeted Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister J P Nadda, who is also the BJP national president, stating that his ministry oversees drug and pharmaceutical manufacturing in the country. “The (Narendra) Modi government cannot absolve itself of responsibility,” she said, demanding accountability at the highest levels.
Taking a swipe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Shrinate criticised his reported remarks suggesting there were no deaths linked to codeine consumption. She said such statements trivialised a crisis that had led to severe health complications, including organ failure, among thousands of youths. She also questioned the timing of the Uttar Pradesh government’s announcement of a ₹50,000 reward for information on Jaiswal, alleging that he had already fled the country.
Shrinate further revealed that UP Congress president Ajay Rai had written to the state home minister demanding a judicial inquiry into the alleged scam.
Speaking at the press conference, Sadhna Bharti drew parallels with recent incidents in Madhya Pradesh, where more than two dozen children reportedly died after consuming spurious cough syrup. She demanded the resignation of Minister Nadda, asserting that his ministry bore direct responsibility for regulating drug manufacturing in India.
The BJP and the Uttar Pradesh government had not issued an immediate response to the Congress allegations at the time of filing this report.
