Punjab farmers root for poppy cultivation

Arun Sharma
Tribune News Service
Morinda, September 1

A number of farmers from several districts on Saturday held a rally in support of their demand for an amendment to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, to legalise poppy cultivation in Punjab.

Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi, who had moved a private member’s Bill in Parliament two years ago on the matter, led the rally. 

He said youths in Punjab were taking to synthetic drugs, which often proved lethal. Legalising the cultivation and sale of poppy would not only help save lives, but also lead to reduction in crime, he claimed.

Substantiating, Gandhi said the cultivation of poppy was legal in the state till 1957. “Opium and poppy husk have been consumed by people since ancient times and no death was ever reported. But once these recreational drugs were banned, synthetic drugs made way into the state. Numerous lives have been lost since,” he said.

The MP said he had met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who had assured him that the Centre would consider his suggestion, but only after if was sent through the state government. A resolution comprising several demands — an amendment to the NDPS Act, legalisation of poppy cultivation and sale, treating addicts as patients and a probe into the alleged nexus of politicians, police and peddlers by an independent agency — was passed.

Nearly 3,000 farmers belonging to Kirti Kisan Union, BKU (Lakhowal) and BKU (Mann) participated.