KPS Gill bats for uniform policy to tackle drug problem

Expressing concern that drug menace in our country was fast spreading its tentacles, former Punjab DGP K P S Gill today called for a uniform policy to deal with the scourge by treating it like a "national crisis".
He said that drug menace should not be seen limited to just Punjab or this region, but one which affects country as a whole.
He claimed that "politico-criminal nexus" runs deep making it even more difficult to tackle this menace in an effective manner.
"With regards to drugs, we should have one policy. We should treat it like a National Crisis," he said addressing a seminar here organised by Forum for Awareness of National Security (FANS), on the topic "Drugs and Related Ancillary issues impacting National Security".

Stating that destroying our youth through drugs seems to be part of a "larger conspiracy" hatched by forces inimical to India, he, however, lamented that the steps which are being taken to control the drug menace are not enough.
"The threat which drugs pose to youth and through the youth to the nation is tremendous. The drug mafia is linked to the criminal mafia...," he said, adding that "India's response (to deal with the problem) is totally inadequate".

"They (drug mafia) are going about their job in a planned way, but we are not coming up with response in a planned manner," he said.

Gill, credited with helping to curb terrorism in Punjab with an iron hand during his stint in the State in 1980s, said that we always tend to live in a denial mode.
He claimed that in 1971-72, he had sent a note to the then Union Cabinet Secretary, indicating that some activities were going on in Punjab at that time which hint that it could lead to a terrorism situation in future.
Without elaborating on the kind of activities that were taking place, Gill further said that at that time "the IB reported back" stating that not much should be read into it, as it was only some acts pertaining to "some college and school boys".

Further speaking about drugs, Gill warned that the same situation can happen in case of drug menace, which can assume alarming proportions if we do not accept its magnitude.
While responding to some questions from the audience about drug problem, he said, "it is more menacing than terrorism".
To a question, he said that during terrorism days in Punjab, nexus between politicians and terrorists was minimal.
However, about drugs, he said, "political-criminal nexus is deep...".
The former DGP also rapped the media for not playing an effective role in highlighting the drug menace in the manner it ought to have.