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Anti-drug drive in villages postponed till May due to harvest season: Kejriwal
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the anti-drug drive in villages has been postponed by a month, citing the ongoing harvest season in Punjab. Initially scheduled to begin on April 1, the drive in the villages will now commence from May 1
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the anti-drug drive in villages has been postponed by a month, citing the ongoing harvest season in Punjab. Initially scheduled to begin on April 1, the drive in the villages will now commence from May 1 as part of the AAP government’s mission to eliminate drugs from the state.
Kejriwal made this announcement while addressing AAP’s executive summit in Ludhiana, where he emphasized the need to respect the agricultural commitments of Punjab’s farmers before launching the large-scale movement against drug abuse. However, starting tomorrow, the AAP will begin a ‘padyatra’ in cities with school and college students, where the youth will take an oath not to consume drugs and to ensure that no one sells drugs in Punjab.
While the rural padyatra has been delayed, the city-wide anti-drug awareness march will proceed as planned. School and college students will lead the campaign, taking oath to stay away from drugs and actively prevent drug trafficking in their communities.
Once the harvest season concludes, Kejriwal, along with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, cabinet ministers, MLAs, and top AAP leaders, will begin village-level visits from May 1. The campaign aims to reach every corner of Punjab to ensure a drug-free future for the state. As part of this movement, block presidents will visit at least ten villages each, raising awareness and ensuring drug peddlers are not allowed to operate. The government will also work closely with local communities by forming village defence committees against drugs, which will coordinate efforts with law enforcement to dismantle drug networks. Additionally, police action against drug traffickers will be intensified to ensure their operations are completely shut down.
Highlighting the aggressive crackdown on drug traffickers over the past month, Kejriwal assured that the AAP government remains fully committed to this fight. He revealed that thousands of drug peddlers have already been arrested, and the homes of druglords have been demolished as a warning.
Targeting former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, who later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Kejriwal said, “The Congress had taken an oath with the Gutka Sahib and claimed that they would eradicate drugs from Punjab within four weeks, but when they came to power, they did nothing.”
Kejriwal also highlighted the dramatic decline in Punjab’s ranking in terms of per capita income, from being number one to now being in 18th place. He attributed this decline to the political figures who have “sold Punjab’s youth for power and money”. “Those responsible for bringing drugs to Punjab, who sold the youth of Punjab for the sake of power, will not be spared. They will face justice,” he stated.
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann while addressing the summit called the volunteers the true driving force behind the party’s success. He also lauded Kejriwal for fundamentally changing the political discourse in India.
“Earlier, election manifestos were filled with divisive agendas based on religion and caste. It was AAP that forced all political parties to focus on real issues like education, healthcare, and free electricity. We compelled them to change their priorities because we showed that good governance is possible,” he asserted.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab in-charge and senior leader Manish Sisodia, addressing the executive meeting in Ludhiana, called upon all AAP workers to be vigilant and ensure that government initiatives reach the people without any corruption or inefficiency. “Our battle is not just against drugs but also against corruption. The money allocated for public welfare should be spent on the people, not wasted in scams. This is the responsibility of every AAP worker,” he added.
