Chandigarh, August 30: Rajya Sabha member Satnam Singh Sandhu on Saturday called upon the people of Punjab to transform Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Drug-free youth, drug-free India’ message into a statewide movement, saying the campaign must combine the fight against addiction with efforts to dismantle the narco-terror ecosystem.
Sandhu made the remarks after watching the 137th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ with young people and representatives of different sections of society at Dhanas village.
He said the Prime Minister’s emphasis on public participation was particularly relevant to Punjab, where the consequences of drug abuse extended beyond individuals to families and communities.
“The Prime Minister’s call today should reach every village, every educational institution, every playground and every youth of Punjab,” Sandhu said.
He called for an active role for civil society and the creative community in spreading awareness. According to him, youth groups could devise impactful slogans, musicians could use songs to promote a drug-free life, and students and theatre groups could prepare short plays depicting the damage caused by drugs and ways of overcoming the problem.
He also urged content creators to produce awareness material in multiple languages, arguing that a sustained campaign would require participation from people across society rather than relying solely on official agencies.
Sandhu, however, said Punjab’s challenge had another dimension because drug trafficking was also being used to fuel narco-terrorism.
“Punjab’s fight is not only with drug addiction, but also with the mechanism of narco-terror flourishing through drug smuggling from across the border, which is eroding the youth, peace and security of the state,” he said.
He linked the wider narco-terror network to incidents involving extortion, ransom threats, targeted killings and organised crime, and said the entire trafficking system needed to be uprooted.
Sandhu said Punjab could become a model for the country by combining a strong crackdown on drug networks with greater opportunities for young people.
He advocated greater investment in education, skill development, sports, research, employment and entrepreneurship, saying the state’s youth should be empowered to become drivers of economic and social progress.
“The youth of Punjab will not be considered a problem, but the biggest force for the reconstruction of Punjab,” he said.
Sandhu also said the BJP was committed to confronting narco-terror in Punjab with strong political will and decisive action.
“The concept of ‘Drug-free youth, drug-free India’ should take a decisive start from Punjab,” he said, adding that the ultimate goal should be a drug-free youth population, a narco-terror-free Punjab and a future offering greater opportunities to young people.
