Punjab on Friday turned into an big arena for an overwhelming number of people from all walks of life pledging to fight the spiraling menace of drugs to mark the International day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
Mass pledge against drugs by people was a common feature today at nearly 1000 places in this border state. The ‘say no to drugs’ pledge initiative under the aegis of Joshi foundation and supported by prominent BJP leaders including MP and national BJP vice-president Avinash Rai Khanna, Union Minister Vijay Sampla and assistant media adviser to Punjab government Vineet Joshi, found unprecedented support, especially from youth who came out in large numbers to take the pledge against drugs.
The campaign leaders reached out to people at distant places in many villages and sub-divisions to ensure that the message against drugs is comprehensively delivered. A massive participation was witnessed in Hoshiarpur where the these leaders, jointly with the Border Security Force (BSF) held a 42-km cycle rally to pledge its mission against drugs. Avinash Khanna, Vineet Joshi, DIG BSF HS Dhillon, and Sanjiv Talwar paddled 6-km on cycle within the township limit spreading Prime Minister Modi’s ‘Healthy India’ message with an inherent resolve to spread the anti-drugs message.
From Amritsar to Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Batala, Tanda, Dasuya, Talwara, Hoshiarpur, Garhshankar, Nawashehr, Nangal, Anandpur Sahib, Noorpur Bedi, Ropar, Kurali, Morinda, Mohali, Khanna, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Abohar, Bathinda, Sangrur, Bhikhi, Sunam, Budhlaha, Jaito, Kotkapura, Malout, Gidderbaha, etc, this exercise today is being seen as one of the largest mass pledge movement against drugs in Punjab. In Patiala alone, at least two dozen such events were held.
The day long drive culminated with a candle light march in Ludhiana where members of the civil society led by MP avinash Khanna and Dr Subhash Verma actively participated. The anti-drug movement in Punjab is increasingly gaining ground in Punjab, Joshi foundation chairman Vineet Joshi said, adding that such initiatives helps inculcate a resolve among people not only to give up drugs but also to support the society campaign against this deadly menace.
