By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 9: The VPP on Tuesday alleged that Meghalaya’s drug trade has grown into a racket worth over Rs 1,000 crore a month, thriving with the tacit protection of those in power.
VPP chief Ardent M. Basaiawmoit told the Assembly that such a business could not operate at this scale without political and official complicity, accusing the government of shielding mafias while society bleeds.
“I was also told by a very reliable source that drugs business is more lucrative and even surpassed the illegal transaction of coal. Surprisingly, the transaction is stated to be over Rs 1,000 crore a month. This government has been seen as one that promotes mafias and racketeers,” Basaiawmoit said while moving the special motion on the alarming increase of drug addicts and people with HIV in the state and its impact.
He questioned the alleged nexus between mafias and the police, citing complaints that seized consignments mysteriously vanished from custody. He said a recently surfaced video of addicts admitting to police involvement demanded nothing less than a thorough probe.
Basaiawmoit argued that the menace of narcotics had surpassed militancy in its ability to destroy lives, claiming that the state has an alarming number of three lakh addicts. He accused the government of treating the crisis casually despite having shown zero tolerance when militancy was at its peak.
While militancy was crushed with an “iron fist,” he said, the approach to drugs has been half-hearted, with schemes like the Drug Reduction Elimination and Action Mission (DREAM) proving ineffective. He asked why the state failed to act firmly when sections such as 8 and 27 of the NDPS Act provide for strict penalties against consumers.
Accusing the administration of misplaced priorities, Basaiawmoit said the government’s penchant for music festivals had only fuelled access to liquor and drugs, with syringes and empty bottles found strewn across venues.
He said addicts are now resorting to violence and even attempting to stab innocent citizens to secure money for their next dose, thus creating fear across communities. “How can people in power sleep soundly when lives are being destroyed under their nose?” he asked.
He urged the government to change its approach by categorising drug users and tailoring rehabilitation methods accordingly, while also studying the social and cultural factors that fuel addiction.
Sounding a grim note of caution, Basaiawmoit warned that if unchecked, Meghalaya risked drifting into narco-terrorism, as mafias and cartels tighten their grip on society.
He said public trust in the police had eroded to the point that citizens were afraid to come forward, leaving traffickers emboldened. “The sincerity of the government is in serious doubt,” he said, urging the House to act before it is too late.