No leniency with perpetrators behind genocide of youth through drugs: CM

Chandigarh, July 15, 2025: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday said that the state government will adopt no leniency towards the ‘Jarnails’ who were the perpetrators behind the genocide of youth through the curse of drugs. 

Participating in the debate over the issue of Yudh Nasheyan Virudh, the Chief Minister said that said that the Jarnails who had patronized the drug trade have already been put behind bars. He said that these leaders not only used to patronize drug trade across the state but ironically they even sold/ supplied the drugs in their official government vehicles. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that in the past no one had previously dared to arrest these affluent leaders, but now his government has done so and they will have to pay the price for their sins.

The Chief Minister assured the house that exemplary punishment will be ensured for these leaders so that no one ever dares to commit this sin again. He quipped that now Nabha Jail has become the synonym of Çhitta’’as those who had introduced this drug to Punjab are now lodged in this jail. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that known for their opulence- acquired through illegal means, these leaders are now demanding facilities in the jail.

The Chief Minister categorically said that those responsible for laying the pyres of youth in Punjab don’t deserve any sort of comfort in jail as they have to pay for their misdeeds. He said that a thorough enquiry has reflected that these leaders have amassed huge wealth through the drug trade adding that strictest punishment will be ensured to them for this crime. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government is committed to ensure that these leaders get exemplary punishment for their crime against humanity.

The Chief Minister also said that Punjab was being defamed over the issue of drugs whereas various other states have this problem more severely than Punjab. He said that some forces inimical to the state had unleashed a malicious campaign to tarnish its image by labeling the hard working Punjabis as drug addicts. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as Punjab is fighting national war against the drugs due to which it was being defamed continuously despite immense contribution in every field.

The Chief Minister said that the state was being maligned irrespective of the fact that not even a single ounce of drug was produced in it. He said that the state security forces have recently confiscated a huge amount of drugs from the state of Gujarat and Rajasthan. However, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Yudh Nasheyan Virudh, embarked by the state government, has broken the backbone of the drug trade.

The Chief Minister said that the scourge of drugs was a blot on the face of the state and it took more than two years for the state government to chalk out a strategy for wiping out this curse. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that subsequently the supply line of drugs was snapped, big fishes involved in these heinous crimes were put behind the bars, rehabilitation of the drug victims was ensured and even the property of the drug smugglers was confiscated and destroyed. He said that now the state government has launched a war against drugs in the form of Yudh Nasheyan Virudh the aim of which is to clean the state from this menace.

The Chief Minister said that during investigations it has also come into light that addicts were using the drugs which were meant for giving anesthesia to the elephants. Citing that the congress leaders were working overtime to save the culprits of such heinous crime, he said that those who were involved in this will not be spared. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government is duty bound for this noble cause and no stone will be left unturned for it.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is making concerted efforts for the welfare of the youth of the state. He said that the focus of his government is to ensure that youth become job givers instead of job seekers. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is the need of hour to carve out a progressive and prosperous Punjab by proactive involvement of the youth.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is committed to build a Rangla Punjab—a vibrant, inclusive, and progressive state. He said that due to concerted efforts of the state government, Punjab is today witnessing a paradigm shift to a progressive Punjab from the regressive one during the previous regimes. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that though during the earlier regimes Punjab had got several negative tags, but his government is committed to carving out Rangla, progressive and happy Punjab.