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Himachal's Political Unity: How Congress and BJP Joined Forces Against Drugs

In a rare show of unity, Congress and BJP lawmakers in Himachal Pradesh held a joint protest against the 'chitta' drug menace. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur led their respective parties in the Assembly, wearing anti-drug badges. The government is taking strict action, including seizing properties under the PIT-NDPS Act and organizing public awareness campaigns. Both sides emphasized that saving the youth from addiction transcends political rivalry.

Key Points: Congress, BJP Protest Together Against Chitta Menace in Himachal

  • Ruling and opposition MLAs wore 'chitta-free Himachal' badges during the joint protest
  • Government is confiscating and demolishing property acquired through drug money
  • A major awareness walkathon in Dharamsala saw participation from schoolchildren
  • The state is focusing on rehabilitation after numerous arrests of drug traders
2 min read

Congress, BJP lawmakers jointly hold protest on Himachal Assembly premises against 'chitta' menace

CM Sukhu and LoP Jairam Thakur lead a rare joint protest in the Himachal Assembly against the synthetic drug 'chitta', pledging a united fight.

"This is not a matter of politics. Lives are at risk, and we must work together. - Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu"

Dharamshala, Dec 5

Cutting across party line, Congress and BJP lawmakers, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jairam Thakur, respectively, jointly held a protest on the Himachal Pradesh Assembly premises against the menace of ‘chitta (synthetic drug)' on Friday.

Donning clothes with badges bearing the message of a “chitta-free Himachal”, the legislators from the ruling and Opposition parties raised slogans like, “Chitta must be driven out, youth must be saved”.

Earlier, MLAs of the treasury bench arrived in the House wearing outfits and badges bearing the anti-drug message.

BJP MLAs also entered the Assembly wearing clothes with the slogan, “Chitta-free Himachal, a new Himachal”.

LoP Thakur said the Opposition “is ready to cooperate with the government against drugs."

Chief Minister Sukhu said an aggressive fight has been started against ‘chitta’ and “we all have to fight it together.”

The Chief Minister told the media, "This is not a matter of politics. Lives are at risk, and we must work together.”

He said the government has launched a historic fight against ‘chitta’. “Protecting the youth from addiction and uniting to defeat it is our priority. Strictness is being increased in panchayats where ‘chitta’ is prevalent. Also property acquired through drugs is being confiscated and will be demolished under the PIT-NDPS Act,” CM Sukhu said.

He said the government is preparing a comprehensive action plan to curb drugs by holding gram sabha meetings and offering rewards to individuals who provide information on drug modules.

CM Sukhu said after many arrests of those indulging in the drug trade, the state is now focussing on rehabilitation.

To wipe out psychotropic drugs from the state, the Chief Minister this week led the 'Anti-Chitta Awareness Walkathon' in Dharamsala, the state’s winter capital, that saw participation by a large number of schoolchildren and people.

CM Sukhu accompanying the children throughout the walkathon gave a clear message of the commitment of the Himachal government to wipe out ‘chitta’ and other drugs from the state.

CM Sukhu said that although the PIT-NDPS Act was not invoked for years, the present state government has implemented it on the ground.

Under this law, 46 major traffickers have been detained. Issuing a warning, he had said, “Every single rupee earned from drugs will be seized, and we have proven and have confiscated Rs 46 crore worth of illegal property.”

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Good symbolic gesture with the walkathon and badges, but I hope this translates to real, sustained action on the ground. Confiscating property is a strong step. We need to protect our children in schools and colleges from these peddlers.
A
Aman W
Finally, some political will! Chitta is a menace across North India, not just Himachal. Other states should take note of this bipartisan approach and the use of the PIT-NDPS Act. Hitting them in the wallet is the only language these traffickers understand.
S
Sarah B
While the unity is commendable, I'm cautiously optimistic. We've seen such shows of solidarity before, only for things to go back to normal after the headlines fade. The proof will be in the sustained drop in drug cases and better rehab facilities over the next year.
V
Vikram M
Involving school children in the walkathon is a brilliant awareness strategy. The fight has to start young. Parents and teachers need to be vigilant. Hope the reward system for informants works without putting people at risk.
K
Kavya N
This is heartening. Our beautiful hill state has been grappling with this issue for too long. The focus on gram sabha meetings is key - the community knows what's happening locally. Together, we can save our future generation. 💪

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