New Delhi:Voicing con-cern over the “devas-tating” drug addiction menace, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said society as well as the government will have to work together to fight this problem and that a helpline would be set up soon to assist those seeking solutions.
In his third ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on radio, he said the menace is a “national pain” but instead of the youth mired in the problem, drugs should be shunned. He said drug addiction is “a malaise filled 3D — darkness, destruction and devastation — as it leads to the dark alleys of destruction and devastation”.
The Prime Minister said a thinking process should begin to ensure that the country is rid of this problem and added that he will try to involve celebrities from the cine world, sports and other fields to campaign for a “drug-free India”. “For long, I have been having concern about the young generation…That some son has got caught in such a quagmire where everything is devastated.
Drugs are such a devastation,” Modi said in his broadcast to the nation. At the same time, he said, “drug addiction is bad, not the child.” Describing it as a psycho-socio-medical problem, he said the family, friends, society, government and the law will have to work together to fight it as working in pieces will not help.
He said he had asked his officials to set up a toll free helpline soon to assist those seeking answers to the problem. The Prime Minister also suggested launching a special drive on social media against the menace.
Recalling that he had promised to talk about drug menace in this ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme, Modi said he had received thousands of letters and mails from people, reflecting that an atmosphere of consultation has already started. The government also has been sensitised, he said. The Prime Minister also counselled the youth to have the courage to say ‘no’ to drugs.
“You may be thinking that taking drugs is a ‘style statement’ or ‘cool’. It is neither. It is just leads you to devastation.” He also asked the youth taking drugs whether they know that the money they spend on drugs might be going to fund terrorism. “Have you thought that the money you spend on drugs might be going to terrorists who buy bullets to kill our soldiers? You also love mother India. How can you help terrorists,” he told the youth. He suggested that youth could be falling into the drug problem because they have no goals or good thinking about life.
In this context, he said parents should take time out from their busy schedules and help children to fix goals and work to achieve those. “Let your children open their hearts to you. You should observe their beha-viour to see that they do not go on the wrong path. Nobody else can do what parents can do,” Modi said.
Modi said those mired in drugs should be encouraged to come out of it. In this context, he gave the example of some “Mr Dutt”, who took to drugs and even went to jail but changed later for the better. The Prime Minister said he chose this subject as it is a “national pain” and he was giving outlet to his anguish in the process. While exhorting the youth to have positive ambitions and goals, Modi referred to the “enthusiasm” and “drive” of Indian Blind Cricket Team which recently met him after winning the World Cup. He also mentioned the victory achieved by Jammu and Kashmir cricket team against Mumbai in the Ranji Cup to highlight the extraordinary drive in them. “Jammu and Kashmir was hit by floods recently. Its play grounds were flooded.
However, despite the difficulties, its team achieved the goal. It showed top most drive and emerged victorious in the cricket tournament. I congratulate them,” he said.
The PM also referred to the UN decision declaring June 21 as the ‘International Yoga Day’ and said the record 177 nations co-sponsored the resolution on a subject which is an idea of India. (PTI)