Punjab’s “Yudh Nashian Virudh” (War Against Drugs) campaign has intensified, revealing alarming connections between drug traffickers and enforcement officers from other states. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, leading the Cabinet Sub-Committee, disclosed the arrest of eight key operatives in Amritsar, including an official from Rohtak, Haryana, with 4 kg of heroin recovered. This incident has raised serious concerns about cross-state collusion in Punjab’s drug trade.
During a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Minister Cheema assured a thorough investigation to dismantle the entire network, irrespective of the individuals’ positions. He emphasized the Punjab government’s commitment to securing its borders, while criticizing the Union Government’s alleged shortcomings in fulfilling its border control responsibilities.
The “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign has yielded significant results in just 41 days:
- 3,279 cases registered under the NDPS Act.
- 5,537 individuals arrested.
- 212 kg of heroin, 6,945 kg of poppy husk, 105 kg of opium, 50 kg of ganja, 6 kg of charas, and nearly 900,000 banned tablets and capsules seized.
- Approximately Rs 6 crore in drug money recovered.
- Illegal properties of 57 drug smugglers demolished.
The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) campaign, highlighted by a recent rally in Ludhiana led by Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has mobilized widespread community involvement. Panch-Sarpanch and municipal councilors are actively participating, reflecting a unified front against drug trafficking.
Cheema pointed out that this Punjab budget is for the first time funding anti drone systems, and also drug census, showing its commitment to the Drug elimination effort. And nearly 980 crore rupees have been placed in the budget for sport promotion, to draw youth away from drug usage. Cheema critizised other national partys for their lack of action on the drug problem that spreads across state borders.
The Finance Minister strongly condemned previous Akali Dal-BJP and Congress governments for their failure to address the escalating drug crisis. He contrasted their inaction with the AAP government’s proactive approach, emphasizing that the “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign demonstrates a firm resolve to eradicate the drug menace.
This renewed offensive underlines the Punjab government’s determination to tackle the deeply entrenched drug trade, uncovering cross-state complicity and delivering severe consequences to those involved.
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