Punjab youth on a high during campaign

Original Report

Elections and drugs have a symbiotic relationship, especially in Punjab. This is being proved yet again with the sudden increase in the number of drug addicts getting admitted in de-addiction centres across the state in the midst of election campaigning.

Reports suggest that de-addiction centres are finding it difficult to withstand the rush of addicts who are reportedly getting high with the liberal supply of drugs like poppy husk, smack and opium, besides liquor, from various political parties.

Inquiries from de-addiction centres located in Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Sangrur and Ludhiana districts confirmed that these centres have been witnessing a nearly 20 per cent increase in the number of drug addicts over the past few days especially since the beginning of campaigning. Punjab goes to polls in two phases on May 7 and May 13.

“We are witnessing the rush of addicts with acute illness ever since the campaigning started. Political activists are liberally feeding intoxicants to youths who are already addicted to drugs or alcohol,” says the head of a de-addiction centre.

Some centres had to make provision for additional beds to accommodate patients.
Drug addiction has already become a major socio-economic issue in Punjab as studies suggest that over 65 per cent of the state’s households, mainly in the rural heartlands, are affected by drug abuse. There is high incidences of drug addiction among the 16-35 age group, particularly in rural areas, where unemployment is a major issue.

Over the years, drug trafficking has become a lucrative business in Punjab with the active involvement of traffickers and local police under the patronage of politicians. Neighbouring states of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh act as conduits for supplying drugs. A report suggests that sensing a lucrative opportunity in view of parliamentary elections, traffickers had contracted huge tracts of land in Kulu valley of Himachal Pradesh for poppy cultivation.

On Monday, Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal ordered a probe into open drug peddling by a woman municipal councillor in Batala township.

“As far as the role of political parties in distribution of drugs during elections is concerned, all are pretty secular in the matter”, reveals a police officer.

The Akali Dal faction led by Simranjit Singh Mann has, however, begged to differ as the party has launched a campaign against the distribution of liquor, drugs and other intoxicants among voters during the current parliamentary polls.

Jeet Singh, the party general secretary, claimed they would write to the Election Commission to disqualify candidates from whose election camps police seized liquor and drugs.
DH News Service

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