Chandigarh, May 27
The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) ongoing anti-drug campaign, ‘Nasha Mukti Yatra’, continues to make strides across Punjab. On Tuesday, AAP leaders, including MLAs and ministers, joined hands with local leaders and volunteers to spearhead awareness campaigns in hundreds of villages. These efforts were bolstered by numerous programs aimed at educating the public about the dangers of drug abuse and the importance of collective action against it.
During the anti-drug programs, MLAs and ministers urged local residents to support the AAP government’s campaign, ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (War Against Drugs), and collaborate with the government to eradicate drugs from their villages.
AAP leaders also administered pledges to people to stay away from drugs, collectively boycott drug traffickers, and refrain from extending any legal assistance to them, especially in securing bail. The campaign received an enthusiastic response from the villagers, with thousands voluntarily joining the ‘Nasha Mukti Yatra’ and pledging their support for the cause.
Today, several village councils formally declared their villages drug-free during these programs. The MLAs and ministers assured these village councils of being recognized by the government and promised special financial assistance for the development of their villages.
Punjab Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO conducted an extensive campaign in Jandiala Guru, Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal in Ajnala, Lalchand Kataruchak in Bhoa, Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian in Sahnewal, and Minister Laljit Bhullar in various villages of his constituency Patti. In addition to these efforts, several other ministers and most of the AAP MLAs organized the yatras in their respective constituencies.
While interacting with the media during the campaign, Minister Laljit Bhullar appealed to the public, stating that no form of support should be extended to drug traffickers and that they should be collectively boycotted. He remarked, “These people are loyal to none. The properties they have accumulated are built on the ruins of common people’s lives. Even God does not forgive such individuals.”
He further asserted that there is no place for drugs in Punjab anymore. “Drug traffickers must either leave Punjab or abandon their trade; otherwise, they should be prepared for police action and imprisonment. The speed at which drugs and traffickers are being eradicated assures me that Punjab will soon become a completely drug-free state,” said the minister.