Punjab drug campaign: BJP launches 4,000-km ‘Nasha Mukt’ yatra
BJP president Nitin Nabin on Friday called for an intensified campaign against drug abuse in Punjab as he flagged off the first of four statewide ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatras’ from Ekta Sthal in Pathankot.
Nabin said the anti-drug campaign must reach every part of the state and described the initiative as a broader fight against the impact of drugs on families and communities. He also criticised the Bhagwant Mann-led government, alleging that it had repeatedly delayed action on the issue.
The 13-day campaign will collectively cover nearly 4,000 km and pass through all 117 Assembly constituencies in Punjab. The second yatra is scheduled to begin from Fatehgarh Sahib on September 19, the third from Fazilka on September 20 and the fourth from Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda on September 21. The four routes are scheduled to converge in Jalandhar on September 30, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to address the concluding rally.
The BJP has positioned the campaign around drug abuse, crime and law-and-order concerns ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. The party has also recently organised a ‘Mawan Mangdian Jawab’ programme, where families affected by drug-related deaths shared their experiences and sought stronger action against the menace.
Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon said the party wants to turn the anti-drug drive into a statewide movement. The BJP has also brought several senior leaders into the campaign, with different leaders scheduled to participate in the four yatras.
The Aam Aadmi Party has criticised the BJP’s initiative, calling it a political exercise and questioning the party’s record on the drug issue during its previous alliance government in Punjab. These are political claims from the respective parties and have not been independently established.
The launch also came amid a separate allegation by BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu that his convoy was attacked while he was travelling from Amritsar towards Pathankot for the event. Bittu alleged that stones and eggs were thrown at the cavalcade and accused AAP-linked individuals; the allegations remain contested.
with inputs from PTI
