CM Saini exhorts khaps to help fight drug menace in state
Flagging off the ‘Drug-Free Haryana Cyclothon 2.0’ from Jind today, CM Nayab Singh Saini said that the fight against drugs must be won through the united efforts of khap panchayats, youth, women, teachers, and all sections of society.
Saini emphasised the significant influence of khaps, stating that they had long been a source of values for the youth. Khaps could play a key role in helping young people overcome drug addiction, a serious issue that was adversely impacting society, he said. The CM assured that whatever support khaps needed from the government to combat addiction would be provided.
Saini met khap representatives from Haryana at the Public Works Department (PWD) rest house after flagging off the cyclothon.
He urged the khap representatives to launch a campaign to keep youth away from drugs and support the goal of making the state drug-free. He stated that while the cyclothon was part of a broader awareness effort, its primary objective was to eliminate drug abuse. “We must save our youth from the harmful effects of drug addiction,” he said. “It is crucial to engage as many young people as possible in sports, enabling them to bring home maximum medals and make Haryana proud, both nationally and internationally.”
The representatives also shared their views on various social issues.
“The khap panchayats have been an integral part of Haryana’s social fabric since ancient times. The region's democratic traditions have long thrived through khap and sarv-khap panchayats. History is witness to the role these panchayats have played in resisting foreign forces and making significant decisions,” the CM said.
Drug trafficking had become a major challenge as the money earned from this illegal trade fuelled terrorism across the world, he said. The recent incident in Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed by terrorists was also funded through drug smuggling. Hence, this anti-drug campaign would indirectly help curb terrorism too, he added.
