NDPS Act cannot fight drug menace: MLA K Ranjit
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 25 2022:
Even though Congress
MLA K Ranjit strongly contended that NDPS Act could
not even arrest village chief
or leader involved in poppy
plantation and government's
'War on Drug' mission under
this ineffective Act would
not be able to save future
generation of the society, agriculture minister Th Biswajit
said that government is in
consideration to award heavy
penalty to drug dealers as
part of the ongoing efforts to
uproot drugs from the state.
Both Opposition MLA
Ranjit and minister Biswajit
made their respective remarks during discussion on
the Motion of Thanks on the
Governor's Address on the
opening day of the Second
Session of the 12th Manipur
Legislative Assembly Session Monday.
The motion
was moved by minister Dr
Sapam Ranjan and seconded by minister Th Basanta
Kumar Singh.
Taking part discussion on
the motion, K Ranjit said it
is responsibility of 60 MLAs
of the state to save lives of
future generation of the society from drugs and all 60
MLAs should act as soldiers
for government's 'War on
Drug' mission but Governor's address missed this
point.
Expressing his desire for
inclusion of this point in the
Governor's address, K Ranjit
said MLAs have full knowledge about activities whether
legal or illegal in their respective areas and it would be
impossible to fight drug issue
without active participation
of elected leaders.
Different tactics were adopted from time to
time in the fight against drug and Congress
government in the past used to hand over
some major drug haul cases to the CBI for investigation.
The keen initiative taken by chief
minister N Biren in the fight against drugs is
commendable but drug haul cases reported 25
days in a month shows that Manipur is leading
in the race of drug manufacturing, he said.
While reiterating that the existing NDPS
Act cannot stop drug business in the state
as this Act could not even arrest village chief
or leader involved in poppy plantation, K
Ranjit strongly called for enacting a stringent
anti-drug law to tackle the issue effectively
or else the state will be doomed.
He also said
that fighting drug issue and continuing government's 'War on Drug' mission with the
ineffective NDPS Act could not save future
generation of Manipur.
He then suggested that 60 MLAs of the
state being law makers could enact a stringent anti-drug law which could give death
penalty or life imprisonment to arrested
drug dealers.
It is appreciative that BJP 2.0
government's 'War on Drug' mission is getting support from different communities but
mere endorsement of the mission by some
community/hill leaders at CM secretariat
could not stop poppy plantation, he said and
demanded discussion in the House about the
remark reportedly made by NAB SP about
involvement of SoO groups in drug manufacture and business.
Almost daily report of
drug haul cases and talk on involvement of
MLAs and police in drug business rendered
government's 'War on Drug' mission valueless, he said and drew attention of the
speaker to make some amendment in the
Governor's address.
Other Opposition MLAs including Kh Joykisan of JDU and O Surjakumar of Congress
too drew attention of the speaker in making
some amendment to Governor's address.
Minister Th Biswajit, who acted as leader
of the house in absence of chief minister N
Biren, while replying to points raised by
Opposition members said that MLAs being
elected representatives of the people have
responsibility in the fight against drugs.
He
also informed that House that government is
considering award of heavy penalty to those
involved in drug trafficking/business and
enforcement of an ordinance in this regard.
He also said that government alone cannot
fight drug issue without cooperation from
MLAs and the people.
Regarding the point raised by K Ranjit about
NAB SP's remark on involvement of SoO
groups in drug manufacture and business, Th
Biswajit said the matter could be discussed
again when CM is present in the House.
The House later passed Motion of Thanks
on the Governor's Address.
Comment
