Fight Narco Terror

The Drug-Free Jammu and Kashmir campaign has become an important call for society to rise united against one of the most damaging threats facing our youth and families. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s participation in the mega padyatra in Budgam has given this campaign both public strength and moral seriousness. It has clearly been conveyed that the fight against drugs cannot be left to the police, administration, or health institutions alone. Every family, every teacher, every youth, every parent, every social organisation, and every responsible citizen must fight this battle.

Drug addiction is not a small personal issue. It is a deep social crisis, a health emergency, and, in the context of Jammu and Kashmir, also a matter of national security. When a young person falls into addiction, a family suffers, a community weakens, and the future of society is directly affected. The damage caused by narcotics is not limited to one individual. It spreads silently into homes, classrooms, workplaces, and neighbourhoods. That is why the call from Budgam must be heard across Jammu and Kashmir with urgency and seriousness. At the same time, society must show compassion towards those trapped in addiction. The lieutenant governor’s message that addicted youth are victims, not criminals, is both humane and necessary. Families should not hide their pain because of fear, shame or social stigma. Silence only gives more space to addiction. The tradition of suffering quietly must end. Affected families need support, counselling, medical care, rehabilitation, and acceptance. The child struggling with addiction needs a helping hand, but the drug peddler who destroys lives must face strict and uncompromising action. The idea of creating an informal parents’ brigade in villages and urban areas can become a strong community shield against drugs. Parents, women and youth, if properly trained and guided, can identify early signs of substance abuse and help families reach timely support. This local vigilance can make a real difference, especially in areas where the first warning signs are often noticed at home, in schools, in neighbourhoods or among peer groups. Such a network must work with sensitivity, responsibility and discipline, ensuring that no affected child is humiliated and no peddler is spared. The campaign also rightly recognises the dangerous link between drug trafficking and terror funding. Jammu and Kashmir cannot ignore the reality that narcotics are being used not only to damage young lives but also to feed criminal and anti-national networks. Drugs weaken society from within, while drug money strengthens those who want instability and violence. Therefore, the fight against narcotics is also a fight to protect peace, security and the future of the Union Territory. The direction to police stations to collect complete information about active smugglers and peddlers and act within a fixed timeframe is a strong and necessary step. Enforcement must be sharp, quick and result-orientated. Small peddlers must be caught, but the bigger networks behind them must be exposed and crushed. Financial transactions of drug cartels must be tracked, illegal assets must be seized and those who have built wealth by poisoning society must be brought to justice. There should be no softness for smugglers who destroy children and break families. Budgam’s padyatra has shown that public participation can turn an official campaign into a people’s movement. But this movement must not end with a procession. It must reach every mohalla, school, college, panchayat, religious platform and household. Teachers must remain watchful, parents must remain alert, youth must reject peer pressure and citizens must report suspicious activities without fear.

Jammu and Kashmir needs both compassion and courage in this fight. Compassion for the victims of addiction and courage to confront the smugglers, peddlers and narco-terror networks without hesitation. The Drug-Free Jammu and Kashmir campaign is a chance to protect the youth, rebuild affected families and strengthen society. If people and institutions stand together with sincerity, discipline and determination, this poison can be defeated and a safer, healthier and more confident Jammu and Kashmir can be built.