Results have shown the Biren-led government’s ‘War on Drugs’ campaign has been a success on many levels. Just in 2022 itself, 3,517 acres of illicit poppy cultivation were destroyed in different areas of the state, 2,567 kgs of contraband drugs disposed and over 2,384 kgs of drugs consisting of Heroin, Brown Sugar, Opium, Amphetamine, Ganja, Methamphetamine, Spasmo Proxivon were seized. 504 cases were also said to be registered under ND&PS Act, 32 persons convicted and 84 persons were detained under PIT NDPS Act.
However, despite every effort of the government to root out drugs from the state, there seems to be no end to it. On the contrary, a variety of drugs are being caught on almost a daily basis by the state police, leaving one to question as to where from the flow keeps coming. Or if there is a major supplier or a kingpin or a drug lord out there who is supplying all these!
Valid questions indeed, considering that there appears to be no end to drug supplies in the state. So, who could really be behind all these?
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So, when the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee called on the state government to launch “War against Drugs Lords” instead of the “War on Drugs” stating that all the anonymous drug lords are walking escort free while only the transporters are facing the wrath of law, one couldn’t agree more.
War against Drug Lords is what the government needs to do now for they are the root of all drugs in the state. Can’t deny that destroying poppy cultivations and arresting chiefs and those supplying or selling drugs is a great move. But it is perhaps just the tip of the iceberg and to root out drugs from the state, one must destroy the source or the master. To immediately kill or destroy a tree, one must root it out and not just cut down the branches. The same theory must be applied to drugs – the kingpin or the drug lords should be caught and punished – and that way, drugs from the state can be rooted out in a better way.
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Not an easy task though. But the government should act tough and take stern action. It should investigate and question more. The five CDO personnel were so confidently carrying drugs and then arrested. And the question here is, how were they in a position to fund the multi-crore drug business? Or for that matter, those arrested almost on a daily basis with drugs worth crores?
We cannot deny that there is a master, a drug lord behind all these. And that is where the government should attack if it really wants to root out drugs from the state. Till then, the flow will continue.
(The views expressed are personal)
