Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a large anti‑drug rally in Jalandhar on Wednesday, pledging that Punjab would be free of the illicit synthetic drug “chitta” by 31 December 2029. He said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest the next state assembly elections primarily on the issue of a drug‑free Punjab and urged mothers and youth to support the party by voting for the lotus symbol.
The speech marked the conclusion of the BJP’s 13‑day “Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra,” which covered all 117 assembly constituencies. Shah highlighted a range of state issues—farmers, industry, law and order, and women’s safety—but insisted the party would focus solely on eradicating drug use. He described the campaign, covering nearly 4,000 km, as a mobilisation effort to raise public awareness and unite people against drug abuse.
In his address, Shah compared drug‑seizure statistics under different governments. He noted that from 2004 to 2014, when the Congress ruled, 26 lakh kg of narcotics were seized nationwide. Between 2014 and 2024, the Modi government seized 1.2 crore kg. He added that the Congress had seized drugs worth 40,000 crore rupees, while the BJP had seized drugs worth 1,90,000 crore rupees.
Shah also praised Punjab for its historical contributions to food security and national security, noting the state’s farmers have long supported the country’s granaries and that Punjabis have made significant sacrifices for India’s borders. He met families affected by drug abuse before the rally, expressing that the Centre would take steps to disrupt drug supply chains and strengthen central agencies against cross‑border smuggling. The campaign’s slogan, “BJP da Naara, Nasha Mukauna Saara,” underscores the party’s commitment to eliminating drug abuse in the state.
