'Drug' video leaves Punjab ministers red-faced

Chandigarh: Two public relations officials in the Punjab government are in trouble for releasing a video clip that showed some ministers seemingly talking about drugs, before a Cabinet meeting was to begin.

Viewers heard the term kaali davai , literally translated as black medicine , and a minister later said the "light-hearted" discussion was not about drugs at all.

The clip was apparently meant to be sent out muted, capturing the scene just ahead of the meeting on December

2.

But what was uploaded carried the audio as well, leaving the state government red-faced after many interpreted the clip to be about drugs.

Substance abuse is a major problem in the state and the Congress had promised elimination of drug trafficking within weeks of coming to power during the last assembly poll campaign.

The officials from the Punjab Information and Public Relations Department have been asked to explain their conduct.

"Two officials of the PR department have been charge-sheeted for sharing the unmuted video," a senior official said on Thursday.

One of the ministers, who attended the cabinet meeting, on Thursday claimed that the "light-hearted" talk was not about drugs but to suggest benefits of a medicine for some sick person.