J&K’s silence against drugs has broken: LG Manoj Sinha

Srinagar, May 19: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday said he had witnessed the silence that had gripped Jammu and Kashmir for years finally being broken, adding that it had now transformed into a strong public voice against drugs.

“I have seen the silence that had gripped Jammu and Kashmir for years finally break, and today that silence has turned into a strong voice against drug abuse,” LG Sinha said addressing a public mobilisationprogramme against drugs in south Kashmir’s Pulwama town.

He said those involved in drug smuggling may have amassed wealth and built lavish homes through the trade, but warned that the money ultimately reaches groups that not only destroy the lives of Jammu and Kashmir’s youth but also fuel terrorism in the region.

“Drug smugglers and terrorists are two sides of the same coin,” the LG said. “One destroys the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to generate money, and that same money is then used to promote terrorism in the region.”

He said that drug peddlers were not only ruining the lives of youth but were also financing violence and the killing of innocent civilians.

LG Sinha warned those operating narco-terror ecosystem would not escape the law.

“I want to tell those operating the network of drug smuggling and narco-terror that no one can save you now. Even if you hide in the deepest corners, you will be tracked down and brought before the law,” he said.

The LG said the administration’s campaign against drug smuggling in Jammu and Kashmir would continue with full determination and would not be limited to arrests alone.

Authorities would also target properties and assets allegedly acquired through proceeds from the narcotics trade, he said.

“Now it will not be just about arrests. Every effort will also be made to dismantle those mansions, properties and luxuries that were built from the blood and tears of our youth,” LG Sinha warned.

He said the administration had not only seen changes in statistics related to drug abuse but had also witnessed a wider social awakening against the menace.

“We did not just see change in numbers, but witnessed and felt the spirit of the people awakening,” the LG said. “In Baramulla, we saw with our own eyes how people united against drug abuse. In Kupwara, I saw thousands of youths and parents taking a collective pledge against drugs.”

He said more than 11,000 local awareness programmes had recently been organised in Pulwama alone, while Police had registered cases against 48 drug smugglers and arrested 56 alleged traffickers.

LG Sinha said the figures reflected the administration’s efforts to strike at what he described as the roots of terrorism.

He acknowledged that drug abuse could not be eradicated within 100 days, but said the campaign had been launched to create a lasting impact and involve society as a whole in the fight against narcotics.

“I know that drugs cannot be eliminated in 100 days, but the campaign was started so that it creates an impact and the entire society joins this fight,” the LG said.

He also sought to reassure the public that innocent people would not be targeted during the crackdown.

LG Sinha said some people were trying to spread the impression that wrongful actions were being taken, but maintained that no innocent person anywhere in Jammu and Kashmir would face action.

He said the decisions taken by the administration were made after careful consideration and in the interest of the future of the region’s youth.

The LG said that the authorities would not rest until the campaign against drugs and narco-terror reached its “logical conclusion.”

He said the “NashaMuktAbhiyan” would focus on three critical fronts. “First, the administration would dismantle drug supply chains and intensify action against narcotics trafficking. He said stringent measures would be taken against drug peddlers, including the cancellation of their passports, vehicle registrations, Aadhaar cards and driving licences,” LG Sinha said.

The second front, he said, would focus on public awareness and collective participation in the anti-drug campaign. “It is not a question of you versus us. It is a question about the future of Jammu and Kashmir. I request everyone to set aside differences and work together in this campaign,” he said.

The third key area, the LG said, would be rehabilitation of those affected by drug abuse.

“I know it is difficult and challenging, but we have to help and rehabilitate all those involved in drugs,” he said.