State youth known for valour, hard work: Saini

CM says fight against drugs is not the responsibility of the govt or police alone. It is a collective fight involving every household, school and village

Haryana’s identity is defined by hard work, medals and valour as the state’s youth are known for their hard work and dedication towards their goals, chief minister Nayab Singh Saini said, calling upon the youth to firmly say “no to drugs” while flagging-off “Drug-Free Haryana Faridabad Namo Marathon-2026” from Surajkund on Sunday.

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini with former cricketer Shikhar Dhawan during the marathon in Faridabad on Sunday. (Sourced)

Addressing the participants, the chief minister said a resounding voice against drugs has risen from Faridabad through the Namo Marathon. “Haryana’s identity is defined by hard work, medals and valour,” Saini said, adding that the steps taken by the participants in the marathon were akin to carrying forward Haryana’s collective resolve against drugs.

“The youth of Haryana are known not for drugs, but for their hard work, valour, talent and dedication towards their goals.”

The state government said that more than 1.3 lakh people registered for the marathon and almost all registered participants took part in the event.

A large number of young people participated in the marathon, conveying the message of staying away from drugs. Participants took part in different categories of the marathon covering 21-km, 10-km and 5-km.

Calling for a collective resolve, Saini said, “We will neither consume drugs ourselves nor allow anyone else to do so. We will channel the energy of our youth not into drugs, but into nation-building. A drug-free Haryana is our resolve, a healthy Haryana is our identity, and a developed India is our goal.”

Saini said that drugs not only weaken the body, but also snatch away dreams and affect families and society.

During the programme, Saini administered a pledge to participants, urging them to stay away from drugs and play their role in building a drug-free society.

“The fight against drugs is not the responsibility of the government or the police alone. It is a collective fight involving every household, every school and every village,” Saini said, urging parents and teachers to maintain open and regular communication with children.

Saini said the resolve for a drug-free Haryana is not limited merely to giving up drugs. Its broader objective is to make the youth healthy, educated, capable, self-reliant and responsible citizens, he added.