Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann inaugurates Gully Cricket League in Amritsar

Amritsar, October 18

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann inaugurated the Gully Cricket League under the Punjab Police’s ‘Hope Initiative’ campaign to make the state drug-free at Gandhi Ground here on Wednesday.

Balloons were released into the air to mark the inauguration of the Gully Cricket League. The CM signed a bat during the ceremony. Senior police officials from the city and neighbouring districts were present during the event.

Thousands of players from hundreds of schools played exhibition matches.

Students from government schools watched the inauguration ceremony and cricket matches at Gandhi Ground. Many held placards which displayed the message for Punjabis to keep away from drugs and start playing games.

Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer played briefly in a match. Holding a bat, he hit several balls to the boundary. On the occasion, school students took an oath against drug addiction. Students pledged not to consume drugs in any form during their lifetime.

The SGPC and police officials distributed eatables and T-shirts among school students at the Golden Temple plaza.

Speaking on the occasion, Mann said since ages, sacred Sri Harmandir Sahib had been a source of inspiration for humanity for every noble cause. He said the sole motive of the ‘Ardas’ here was to take the blessings of the Almighty for the success of the unique mission, which aimed at eliminating the curse of drugs from the state.

He said the presence of a large number of youth in the campaign showed that the younger generation was ready to support the state government in this noble cause.

The CM said this was first of its kind mass movement against drugs, which would break the backbone of the menace. He said the ‘Hope Initiative’ was an anti-drug mission that was started with a three-fold strategy of ‘Pray, pledge and play’.

He said as a part of the first campaign, thousands of youth joined the ‘Ardas’ to pray for drug-free Punjab. He said other people joined the campaign through online ‘Ardas’.

The CM said on one hand, the supply line of drugs was being snapped by sending drug peddlers behind bars and on the other, focus was on treatment and rehabilitation of people hooked to drugs.