No compromise with drug dealers even if they are influential: Tripura CM Saha
Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Thursday that many prominent people of the society are involved in the drug trade for monetary gain but warned that no one can escape the law if they are caught.
Inaugurating an awareness programme organised under the ‘Drug-Free India Campaign’ and for the prevention of child marriage at the Gandhigram Higher Secondary School grounds in West Tripura District, the Chief Minister said that people involved in the drug trade would not be spared under any circumstances.
“In addition, people from all sections of society must be more aware to prevent child marriage. The government is considering registering marriages before marriage to prevent child marriage,” said CM Saha, who also holds the Home portfolio.
“I have told various agencies, including the police, that those involved in the drug trade should not be given any concession under any circumstances. Those people associated with drug peddling are destroying themselves, destroying society, and destroying the state. And many prominent people of society who have free movement in different places are also involved in this. But once they are caught in the net of the law, no one can save them,” he added.
Noting that there was no such environment of addiction in the state before, he said that for the past 40 years, the shadow of addiction has prevailed throughout the state, which we are suffering from today. After the formation of the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led government in Tripura, a zero-tolerance policy has been adopted against drugs, Saha said.
He said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also given high importance to this issue and is constantly reviewing actions against drugs and added that the state government is also working on drug prevention as directed by the Centre.
“Various agencies, including the Tripura Police, are constantly conducting operations against drugs. A large amount of drugs is being seized. The volume of these seizures has increased several times. Many people associated with drugs have been arrested under the NDPS Act and are being punished,” the Chief Minister said.
Saha, who also holds the Health and Family Welfare portfolio, called for more awareness in the state regarding thalassemia, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. The Chief Minister said, child marriage is another matter of concern and urged everyone to come forward to prevent child marriage and raise awareness against it.