Punjab celebrities give clarion call against drugs

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 17

From singers to actors to champion players, a large number of celebrities from across Punjab have made a clarion call to the populace to shun drugs and restore the health of the state’s youth. They have made this appeal on the social media handle of Punjab Director General of Police (DGP), besides their own.

The state has been suffering from drug abuse from almost 15 years now, and this is for the first time that Punjabi celebrities have appealed against drugs unanimously in large numbers. In addition to roping in celebrities in the fight against drug menace, the police have also been organising sports festivals across those districts where drug addiction and smuggling were important issues during the Lok Sabha poll.

The massive push against drugs coincided with the Jalandhar bypoll, besides an expose by The Tribune on a series of drug deaths in June.

The police crackdown on drugs continues and as many as 28,400 cases under the NDPS Act have been registered across the state since the AAP government came to power in March 2022. The police have arrested 38,801 persons and recovered 2,492 kg of heroin and other drugs.

Famous singer Gurdas Maan, who robbed many hearts with his epic ‘dil da mamla’, song was among the first to issue an appeal against drugs. “The flow of drugs is eating into the youth of Punjab. It is crucial to check it immediately. Come, be a part of the Drug Free Punjab movement. Let the state become Rangla Punjab again,” he said in a video message.

Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of Indian women cricket team, who is also a DSP with the Punjab Police, in her message reminded the youth that the real joy was not in intoxication but to become achievers for the state and the country.

“Punjab — the land of courage and chivalry — is getting a bad name due to drug abuse. Let’s not forget drug addiction leads to destruction of the individual, family and society,” she said.

Pacer Arshdeep Singh has also become a part of the movement. “We all have to come together to end this menace,” he said in his message issued a few days after he became a member of the T-20 World Cup winning Indian cricket team.

Harmanpreet Singh, captain of Olympic Bronze Medal winning Indian hockey captain, especially called up the women residents to fight against the drugs, “Let us strengthen the movement against the drugs,” he said.

“The people in general and youngsters in particular are influenced by films and songs and follow the celebrities. Instead of showing them songs and films about violence, drugs and gun culture, these celebrities have come out strongly against drugs to help enforcement agencies,” said DGP Gaurav Yadav.

38K arrests since March 2022

• A total of 28,400 cases under NDPS Act have been registered in Punjab since the AAP government came to power in March 2022
• The police have arrested 38,801 persons and recovered 2,492 kg of heroin and other drugs in this period