With eye on poll, BJP to begin ‘drug-free Punjab’ drive amid row over Dalit villager’s death
The campaign comes close on the heels of a row that erupted following the death of a Dalit villager, who was reportedly under pressure to apologise for questioning Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema over the supply of ‘chitta (synthetic drugs)’ in the State.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) plans to begin a 'drug-free Punjab' campaign as it eyes the 2027 Assembly elections. The initiative, called 'Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatras,' will commence on September 18 and aim to raise awareness about the drug problem in the state. State BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon announced the campaign at a press conference alongside party national vice-president Manpreet Badal and former State chief Sunil Jakhar.
The yatras will traverse all 117 Assembly constituencies, transforming the fight against drugs into a mass movement. Dhillon highlighted three major challenges facing Punjab: the drug menace, deteriorating law and order, and corruption. He emphasized that the campaign is not merely an anti-drug awareness effort but a response to the drug crisis, which is tearing families apart and pushing Punjab's youth towards violence and gang-related activities.
Notably, the campaign comes amid controversy over the alleged suicide of a Dalit villager who was reportedly pressured to apologize for questioning Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema about the supply of synthetic drugs in the state. Dhillon stated that BJP president Nitin Nabin will launch the first yatra on September 18 from Pathankot district, followed by marches in Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilka, and Talwandi Sabo throughout September.
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