Apr 02, 2025 02:41 PM IST
Bhagwant Mann administers pledge to nearly 6,000 school, college students in Ludhiana, flags off Walk Against Drugs campaign.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday issued a stern warning to drug peddlers, declaring that those who have destroyed the future of families by pushing their loved ones into the dark trap of addiction would face bulldozer justice.
“We won’t allow these drug peddlers to illuminate their homes with ‘deepmala (decorative lights)’ while they ruin the lives of others,” Mann said while addressing a gathering of school and college students in Ludhiana on Wednesday before flagging off the Walk Against Drugs campaign.
Nearly 6,000 students, including National Cadet Corps and National Service Scheme units, marched through Ghumar Mandi in poll-bound Ludhiana West assembly constituency.
Mann administered a pledge to the students to stay away from drugs and help others break free from addiction. The students also pledged to inform the police about drug peddlers operating in their villages, neighbourhoods, and colonies.
Mann said that the Punjab government had been working on rooting out the drug problem for the past three years and had now launched its full-scale execution. He highlighted the role of opioid-opiate treatment (OOAT) centres and rehabilitation facilities in helping addicts reintegrate into society. “We will ensure that those who have fallen victim to drugs get proper treatment, complete their education, and secure employment based on their qualifications,” he said.
Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal also addressed the gathering, taking a swipe at previous governments for failing to curb drug abuse. He accused past administrations of not only turning a blind eye to the drug trade but also providing political protection to traffickers.
Kejriwal lauded the Punjab government’s crackdown on drug networks, stating that the bulldozer action against drug peddlers was a first in India’s history. “What is happening now has never been done in the past 75 years,” he said, appealing to students to actively participate in the anti-drug campaign. He said their involvement was crucial in building a ‘Rangla Punjab’(a vibrant and drug-free Punjab).
