Chandigarh: The Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a major anti-drug campaign, with four state-wide ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatras’ set to begin from September 18 and cover all 117 Assembly constituencies across the state.
The yatras, being held under the slogan “BJP’s resolve: eradicate drugs completely”, will collectively cover around 4,000 km. The campaign will focus not only on the drug menace but also on alleged deterioration in law and order and corruption.
Announcing the campaign at a press conference in Chandigarh, Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon, in the presence of national vice-president Manpreet Singh Badal, former state presidents Sunil Jakhar and Ashwani Sharma and other senior leaders, accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of failing to control drugs.
Dhillon alleged that the government was adopting an authoritarian approach by harassing those who questioned it. He also alleged that corruption had spread from tehsils to the Chief Minister’s Office.
Four yatras to start from different parts of Punjab
BJP national president Nitin Nabin will flag off the first yatra from Madhopur in Pathankot on September 18.
The second yatra will begin from Fatehgarh Sahib on September 19, followed by the third from the Sadqi border in Fazilka on September 20. The fourth will start from Talwandi Sabo on September 21.
The four yatras will pass through different Assembly constituencies before culminating in Jalandhar on September 30. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to address the concluding event.
Badal said the fight against drugs could not be won merely by registering FIRs against addicts and traffickers, stressing the need for rehabilitation.
He said the focus should also be on tracing the money trail behind the drug trade and dismantling the financial networks supporting trafficking.
Badal said the BJP would work towards establishing an anti-drug intelligence grid bringing together police, intelligence agencies, rehabilitation experts and social and religious workers to tackle the problem.
