J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday led the anti-drug march in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, where he emphasized that the campaign against substance abuse has connected every heart across Jammu and Kashmir with a shared purpose to make their village, their town, drug-free.
The rally also got the support of the Justice and Development Front (JDF), a splinter group of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami, and its members participated in the march.
While addressing, the Lieutenant Governor said the anti-drug campaign belongs to the people.
“Parents, teachers, religious leaders and young volunteers have stood shoulder to shoulder with the administration.
The road ahead is long. The fight against drugs will take sustained effort, constant alertness and unity. We must remain steadfast. We must encourage our young people, protect our families and strengthen our communities,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor observed that 51 days ago, the people of Jammu Kashmir kindled a spark of change and with massive participation of the people, that spark in Jammu Kashmir has become a fierce flame of hope, courage and resolve.
“This campaign is striking directly at the financial backbone of terrorism. Every rupee spent on drugs fuels extremist violence, and narco-terrorists survive on that blood money. By halting the drug trade, we cut off the lifeline that sustains terror networks. I want people of Jammu Kashmir to remember that this is not only a public-health struggle, but also a fight for national security. When we choke off drug smuggling, we weaken those who seek to destabilize our nation, spill the blood of innocent people of J&K, and divert our youth from the path of progress,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor, in his address, highlighted that for many years Jammu Kashmir endured attacks on the society by narco-terrorists. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Home Minister Amit Shah, the Nasha-Mukt Bharat Initiative, launched in 2020, marked the turning point.
“I stand before you not only as your Lieutenant Governor but as a member of your family who shares your pain, your struggles, and your dream of a safe, empowered and drug-free Jammu Kashmir. In 2021, I pledged a fear-free and drug-free Jammu Kashmir so that the shadows of drugs and terror that once loomed over our youth can be banished entirely. I can say with confidence today that the chains that once trapped our youth in the dark web of drugs are breaking apart, link by link, day by day,” he said.
“Over the past 51 days we have carried out extensive, coordinated operations against narco-terrorists and drug traffickers. With a whole-of-government approach, we are dismantling networks that had become entrenched. Raids have targeted drug smugglers and drug peddlers in villages and towns, supply chains have been broken, and narco-terrorists have been exposed,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
It is pertinent to mention that 923 FIRs have been registered against drug traffickers in the last 51 days. More than 1,000 drug smugglers and peddlers have been arrested, over 55 traffickers have been detained under PIT-NDPS provisions, 668 driving licenses have been cancelled, and recommendations have been made to revoke 124 passports.
The Lieutenant Governor said that the fight against drugs is not limited to raids and arrests, but the administration is also working on breaking the supply chain, generating public awareness and working towards the dignified rehabilitation of those suffering from addiction.
“We will ensure our youth are freed from the grip of addiction, return to the mainstream of society, and become the strength that will lead Jammu Kashmir toward a brighter tomorrow,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
