— TS Venkatesan
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi in a scathing attack on state government said it is not taking serious steps to end the drug menace that will lead to disaster. The police only seizes ganja and not other ones including synthetic narcotic drugs.
Speaking at an event to prevent drug abuse organised by Voice of Tenkasi Foundation, Rotary Club of Rajapalayam Kings City and Voluntary outfits, Ravi said lackadaisical attitude by the police in dealing with drugs in Tamil Nadu would lead to a disaster. He urged the DMK government to step up measures to curb the entry of drugs into the state.
Saying the prevalence of drugs among youngsters as a “ serious problem, the governor said the government alone can’t eradicate it but only through a mass movement it can be done. Ravi said “ our country is celebrating the festival Navaratri and normally I do not move out of Chennai during these nine days to ensure that I attend the pooja in the evening at Rajbhavan. However, When was invited to this event, I decided I must not miss it. The issue of drugs is close to my heart. Because I have seen prosperous and happy families getting destroyed ,society getting destroyed because of this drug”.
Governor said “drugs not only spoil a person’s nervous system but also affect his /her entire family. Ultimately, society would be at a loss. Only collective effort and sustained campaign by various stakeholders would prevent the youth from getting addicted to drugs.
He said “though the police were seizing ganja, need of the hour is to intensify vigil. Even we have a case in Punjab. Remember till about 40 years back, it was the most advanced and front ranking state in the country. Within three decades, drugs destroyed it and today it is struggling to come out if drug culture. We must fight to finish it.
“Parents should keep an eye on their children. The adolescent group is an easy target of those in the drug network and it is the parents’ duty to protect their children. The use of drugs in Tamil Nadu is also ‘ very serious’ and the synthetic drug is referred to as ganja here but in Kerala or Karnataka it is called heroin, hasish, opium or meth crystals. Synthetic drugs are a big threat.
They are highly addictive and the victims are mostly young people, school and college students. What I am worried about our state is Central agencies have seized hundreds and hundreds of kilograms of synthetic and chemical drugs from different parts of our state. From the land, from the sea, from the airport, large amount of drugs, chemical and synthetic drugs are seized.
Three years down the line, I have come across seizures of ganja , tons and tons of ganja seized but no synthetic nor chemical drug. How come Central agencies are able to seize hundreds of kilogram of these synthetic and chemical drugs , whereas our state enforcement agencies are not able to seize even one gram”.
Governor Ravi said “ after assuming office in TN, I invited the then Police chief and requested him to pay attention to the prevalence of drugs in the state. This is a serious issue as I have seen it with my own eyes. How a prosperous family, prosperous society completely gets ruined. We much act tough. Drug comprises two aspects demand and supply.
There is also an issue of narco terrorism involving billions and billions of dollars. We know our western neighbours and their forces have been supplying drugs and getting money to run terrorism. Drugs are pushed into India as a transit route by the drug cartels. Drug cartels have fooled us. While transiting into india, i think, whole amount of drug does not get moved as we are becoming a drug consuming society”.
TN Law Minister S Raghupathy has criticised the Governor for his remarks. He accused governor Ravi of politicising his office and undermining the state’s anti drug efforts. I
n a scathing attack, he said 14 bjp men were arrested under the NDPS act. He said NIBCID cells function in 15 places across the state. All the 1368 law and order police stations and 100 PEW divisions are empowered to act on drugs plus 42 coastal security group police stations with 24 speed boats who are monitoring the coastal stretch.
