**bjp Leaders Raise Concerns Over Drug Abuse In Punjab, Call For Stronger Measures To Curb The Menace**

 Senior BJP leader, former Union Minister and former Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, Vijay Sampla, launched a sharp attack on the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government over the drug menace in Punjab during the BJP’s ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’, saying that however big the government’s figures and claims may be, the ground reality is reflected in the streets, homes and the tears of Punjab’s mothers.

Sharing the pain of Manjit Kaur of Sultanpur Lodhi, who has lost all five of her sons to drugs, Sampla said that no government statistic can measure the agony of a mother who has watched all her young sons fall victim to addiction. “A mother expects her sons to become the support of her family and her old age, but Manjit Kaur is today forced to stand with photographs of her sons,” he said, adding that her pain represents the anguish of countless mothers across Punjab who have lost their children to drugs. Sampla said the AAP had promised to eradicate drugs within three months of coming to power, but years later, allegations of open sale and home delivery of drugs continue to surface. “Merely citing arrest figures cannot end the drug menace. The real challenge is to dismantle the supply chain and take action against major traffickers and those facilitating their operations,” he said.
Sampla said reports of threats and violence against people who raise their voice against drug trafficking raise serious questions about the government’s handling of the issue. Referring to the reported death of a person in Tarn Taran after he had complained about drug sales, he said protecting citizens who come forward against the drug trade must be a fundamental responsibility of the government. He also questioned those who displayed black flags against the Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra, saying that a campaign against drugs should not be opposed by anyone concerned about Punjab’s future.
Sampla said Punjab is the land of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, whose message emphasised honest labour, remembrance of God and sharing with others, while Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh remains an enduring symbol of sacrifice and service among the youth. “On one side is the legacy of Bhagat Singh; on the other is a generation being devastated by drugs. This is the tragedy Punjab is confronting today,” he said. Sampla said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have set out a national resolve against drugs and called for collective efforts to make Punjab drug-free. “We do not need more statistics; we need to see smiles return to the faces of Punjab’s mothers. No other mother should have to suffer the fate of Manjit Kaur,” he said.

Addressing the rally, former Haryana Minister Anil Goel said the AAP came to power promising “change”, but instead of transforming Punjab, the government had failed to protect its younger generation from the drug crisis. He said the Punjab once known for the teachings of the Gurus, farming, hard work and courageous youth is today witnessing mothers mourning the loss of their sons. Referring to Manjit Kaur’s tragedy, he said the suffering of a mother who has lost five sons is more powerful than any government statistic.
Goel questioned the government over continued reports of drugs being sold openly and claims of home delivery. He said arrest statistics alone cannot establish that the drug network has been dismantled and called for action against the entire supply chain. Referring to reported incidents involving people who raised their voices against drugs, he said the government must ensure that citizens speaking against drug trafficking are protected.
Goel said the BJP’s stated objective is to make Punjab drug-free and restore its identity as ‘Rangla Punjab’. Using the political metaphor of the broom, he said, “The broom that has pushed Punjab into this quagmire cannot clean it; the lotus must bloom in Punjab.” He appealed to people to consider the issue of drugs carefully in the forthcoming Assembly elections and work collectively to protect Punjab’s younger generation.
Punjab BJP Vice-President and Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra Coordinator Ravikaran Singh Kahlon said the fight against drugs must go beyond politics and become a decisive campaign to save Punjab’s future. He said the BJP’s stated resolve is “Nasha Mukao, Saara” (Eradicate Drugs Completely) and that, if voted to power, the party would make action against drug trafficking and traffickers a top priority.

Those present on the occasion included Manjit Singh Rai, Suraj Bhardwaj, Chetan Suri (District President), Rakesh Kumar Neetu (Assembly Constituency In-charge) and Lakhpat Rai Prabhakar, besides other BJP leaders and workers.