Lt. Governor urges students to become ‘watchdogs’ of campuses in fight against drug abuse

Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan urged students and youth volunteers to act as "watchdogs and moral guardians" against drug abuse at a Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan program held at Pondicherry University on August 2, 2026. He described the drug abuse problem as a "silent pandemic" that jeopardizes India's national security and its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

Kailashnathan emphasized that the campaign, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a solemn national pledge and a mass movement requiring participation from every citizen.

The lieutenant governor highlighted that a developed nation cannot be built solely on infrastructure and economic growth; it also requires a Nasha Mukt (drug-free) Bharat. India's workforce, comprising approximately 40% of the population aged 15 to 35, serves as the "engine" driving the country's development. He stressed that youth can contribute to nation-building only if they maintain their physical health, mental well-being, and emotional resilience.

Kailashnathan warned that drug abuse is not merely a personal or family tragedy but a broader threat to India's economic and security interests. He explained that resources allocated for education, healthcare, and infrastructure are increasingly diverted to manage addiction-related crises, hindering the nation's ambition to become the world's third-largest economy by 2030.

Moreover, he cautioned that illicit proceeds from narcotics trafficking are funding organized crime, anti-national activities, and narco-terrorism, posing a "direct and critical threat to national security."

He recounted how drug abuse erodes societal fabric, often starting with a harmless experiment driven by peer pressure or an escape from stress. This experiment transforms into a habit, undermining an individual's resolve and leading to severe addiction. The lieutenant governor also discussed the devastating impact on families, citing examples of parents sacrificing their comforts for their children's education, only to see those dreams shattered by addiction.

Appealing to the students, Kailashnathan encouraged them to pledge to abstain from drugs and to intervene when they observe friends or roommates succumbing to bad influences. He urged them to leverage social media, debates, and youth festivals to spread the anti-drug message. "Let Puducherry emerge as a shining beacon in this national campaign," he said.

Kailashnathan administered the Nasha Mukt Yuva Pledge to the students, with Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Pondicherry University Vice-Chancellor Prof. P. Prakash Babu, Chief Secretary Sharat Chauhan, and officials in attendance.