Voicing concern over alleged failure of the authorities to control the drug menace in Jammu region, an organisation campaigning against it has asked political parties to act in concert to tackle the problem.
"We are concerned over the failure of the authorities to keep a check on the drug mafia in Jammu region. We ask the political parties to reach a consensus on taking effective steps to eradicate this menace so as to liberate the younger generation from the death trap," chairman of Team Jammu Zorawar Singh Jamwal told reporters here today.
"All political parties are duty-bound to evolve a mechanism to deal with the menace because the state is virtually slipping into the tight grip of the drug mafia. Parents are helplessly watching their teenage children dying a slow death due to the failure of the authorities to crack down on the mafia, well connected with some corrupt politicians and cops," Zorawar said.
He appealed to the political parties to adopt a resolution in the Assembly to slap sedition charges on the drug mafia.
"On one hand, terrorism is playing with the lives of the common people, while on the other, the drug mafia is spoiling the youth of the state," Zorawar said, adding, "those involved in supplying drugs to the youth too are anti-nationals and they too should be booked under sedition charges."
"The forthcoming budget session of the Assembly will provide an opportunity to the political parties to take an initiative in this direction," he said and hoped that the state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, will take the lead in the battle against the drug mafia.
Maintaining that the problem of drug addiction among
the youth warranted immediate attention, he said it was high time concrete steps were taken to put an end to this menace.
"Drug addiction is not confined to boys. It has also gripped girls as cases of females consuming drugs have increased manifold," he said.
Zorawar said Team Jammu has decided to organise an anti-drug rally at Samba on May 15. It would be the fourth successive anti-drug rally to educate the youth about the menace which has been slowly gripping them.
Earlier, rallies were taken out at Jammu, Rajouri, and Katra. Team Jammu has young professionals, social activists, sportsmen, doctors, journalists, educationists, technocrats, retired army and police officers and intellectuals in its fold.
"The way people, especially the youth, are coming forward in our campaign has encouraged us," said Zorawar, affirming the commitment of Team Jammu to liberate the youth from the evil of drugs.
