| Launching second phase of 'Yudh Nashean Virudh', Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Singh Mann say, 'United, Punjab will eradicate drugs from roots' | | | Early Times Report
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8: Stepping up Punjab's fight against drugs, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday launched the second phase of Yudh Nashean Virudh at Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, expanding the state's ongoing crackdown into a broad-based people's movement. Addressing a large gathering on the university campus, the AAP Chief cited concrete outcomes from the first phase, including large-scale action against traffickers, high conviction rates and growing public participation, and said Phase II would consolidate these gains to decisively dismantle drug networks across Punjab.
Addressing the gathering, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal stated, "After the remarkable success of Phase One of 'Yudh Nashean Virudh' (war against drugs), Phase Two is beginning today. Phase One was launched on 1 March 2025, about ten months ago, and the honesty, hard work and determination with which it was implemented has never been seen before, not just in Punjab but in any state across the country, in a fight against drugs. It is not that drugs are sold only in Punjab. There are many states, including Haryana, Gujarat, Delhi and several others, where drugs are sold openly and in large quantities, but the governments there simply do not care."
Recalling the situation before the AAP government was formed, the AAP Chief continued, "In Punjab, before us, when the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government was in power, drugs were pushed into every lane and every household during their rule. It was during that time that Punjab was so deeply trapped in drugs that the film 'Udta Punjab' was made. Punjab saw drugs entering homes, and many of their senior personalities were directly involved in selling drugs. After that, Captain Amarinder took an oath on the Gutka Sahib and said he would eliminate drugs in thirty days or sixty days. His government lasted five years and nothing was done. Those were false oaths. After that, our government came."
Elaborating further, Arvind Kejriwal said, "We took some time because proper preparation was needed, but after 1 March last year, the intensity and courage with which we began action against drugs was unprecedented. Many people warned us that drug traffickers are extremely dangerous, that they are big gangsters, criminals and goons, and that they could harm our families. We said no, we have come after making a promise to the people that we will make Punjab drug free and secure a good future for our children."
Detailing the scale of enforcement, he added, "In the last ten months, 28,000 cases have been filed against drug traffickers. At such a massive level, in the seventy five years since Independence, no state in the country has ever filed so many cases. These are not fake cases. When these cases reached the courts and the FIRs were examined, in 88 percent of the cases the accused were sent to jail. If these were fake cases, they would have collapsed, but those being caught by the police are going to jail and are being punished by the courts. Out of every 100 cases, jail was ordered in 88 cases, and among the 28,000 cases that have reached the courts so far, 88 percent have resulted in imprisonment." |
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