BJP pledges support to Govt's War on Drugs
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 17 2022: BJP Manipur Pradesh has resolved to extend unstinted support to the State Government's War on Drugs.

Speaking to media persons at their Nityaipat Chuthek office here today, BJP Manipur Pradesh vice-president Ch Chidananda said that the party sees the Government's campaign against poppy plantation as a mission of paramount importance.

Manipur started as a drug trafficking route in the 1980s and now it is becoming an poppy-based drug manufacturing State, Chidananda said.

Manipur is now passing through a very critical phase.

Drugs have ruined the lives of a large number of youth and the State is now staring at a grim future as vast tracts of land are being dedicated to poppy cultivation, he said.

The party is of the firm belief that one cannot remain indifferent to extensive poppy plantation in the hill ranges after clearing vast tracts of forest areas.

Planting poppy and manufacturing poppy-based drugs is illegal under the NDPS Act and those involved in such illegal enterprises are punishable with imprisonment of 10 years at the least, the BJP vice-president said.

The drug related issues of the State even drew attention of the United Nation's Office on Drugs and Crimes in 2021.It was noted that Manipur was becoming a drug manufacturing State from being a drug trafficking route, he said.

Chidananda lamented that all the fame and laurels won by Manipur in fields of art and sports have been negated by the ever worsening drug related issues.

Around 120 Kgs of heroin (No 4) and 1300 Kgs of opium have been seized since the N Biren-led Government was installed in the State.

Substantial quantities of brown sugar and tablets were also seized, he said.

Between 2017 and 2022, poppy plantations covering 14,000 acres were detected.

This was an alarming figure considering the small territorial size of the State, Chidananda remarked.

He said that the party is impressed with the Government's campaign against poppy plantation and the support extended by leaders of different communities to the campaign.

The BJP National executive would hold a meeting on May 20 at Jaipur with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National president JP Nadda.

There BJP Manipur Pradesh president A Sharda will table a detailed report of the State Government's War on Drugs at the meeting, he said.

Chief Minister N Biren and BJP National executive member Th Biswajit would attend the meeting.

He also hailed the Government for pulling up around 2300 people in connection with drug cases during the last six/seven years.

BJP Manipur Pradesh secretary Kongkham Bikram said that the party would assist the Government in planting trees as a target has been already set to plant five lakh saplings within two months.

A new arrangement would be made under which all BJP Ministers would come to the party office every fortnight to share ideas and policy matters with the party's office bearers, Bikram further told the media.

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