‘We Will Eradicate Drugs in Punjab Just as Naxalism and Gangsterism Were Tackled’: Kewal Dhillon

Ludhiana, September 25, 2026: “My husband has been consuming drugs for the past 10 years and also sells them. Whenever I speak out against him, even my own family turns against me. When I approach the police, they take me away, but do nothing to my husband.”
These are the words of a woman from Manohar Nagar, Ludhiana, who was speaking at a press conference organised during the BJP Punjab’s ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’, being held under the slogan, ‘BJP ka Nara, Nasha Mukauna Sara’.
The press conference, held under the banner ‘Mavan Mangdian Jawab’, was attended by dozens of families who had lost their sons, nephews and other relatives to drugs. BJP Punjab ‘s State President Kewal Singh Dhillon, State General Secretary Anil Sareen, Ludhiana District President Sunil Modgil and State Media Head Vineet Joshi, District Media secretary Dr.Satish Kumar were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, a woman of Manjit Nagar, Ludhiana, claimed that as many as 50 people had died due to drugs in her neighbourhood alone. She said she could take the media to the area and show them the sale of drugs live.
Similarly, another resident of Manohar Nagar said that 10–12 people had already died due to drugs in his area. He alleged that instead of taking action against drug dealers, the police take action against those who raise their voice against drugs and even make them accused in cases.
At the event, newspaper photographs and reports of people who had died due to drugs in Ludhiana were placed on chairs, which were deliberately left empty. It was said that had effective action been taken against drugs, these chairs would not have been empty.
Among the 17 families’ from Ludhiana and Jagraon who present were several mothers, including Shindo bai of Jagraon, who has lost four sons. Other mothers and families said they had lost one or two sons or other relatives to drugs. They shared their pain with the media and appealed for drugs to be eradicated by every possible means.
Speaking on the occasion, Punjab BJP State President Kewal Singh Dhillon said the pain of families affected by drugs could neither be expressed in words nor endured. He said the BJP was undertaking the ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’ from September 18 to September 30 to share this pain.
Sharing his experiences from the campaign, Dhillon said that when his convoy passed through the gathering place at Bhucho Mandi, local residents stopped him and said that the BJP had begun a decisive fight against drugs and should not step back from it.
Kewal Dhillon said Punjab needs to unite against drugs and that everyone’s support is required for the campaign. He said this was not a political exercise but a people’s movement.
Dhillon said the BJP had taken a pledge to eliminate drugs and claimed that, based on what he described as the party’s track record in tackling Naxalism in the country and gangsterism in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP would root out drugs from Punjab.
He alleged that the present Punjab government had failed in its claims to eradicate drugs. He said that in the land of five rivers, a “sixth river” of drugs was now flowing.
Dhillon also said that the lack of industry and economic backwardness in Punjab were contributing to the younger generation falling prey to drugs.
The BJP leader said that during the yatra, several women had also shared complaints of being harassed by their families and the police administration for raising their voices against drugs.
Dhillon said the BJP’s anti-drug campaign would continue and appealed for people’s cooperation to make Punjab drug-free.