Drugs issue just election rhetoric: Qafan Wala Baba

Jupinderjit Singh

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Chandigarh, May 27

One of the prominent crusaders against drugs abuse since 2016 Mukhtiar Singh, who is also known as “Qafan Wala Baba, makes a periodical change in his fight against the menace.

He replaces the photos of top leaders of the party in power in Punjab on his anti-drug posters, calling for action to end the menace. Mukhtiar said, “Rest all remain the same. Neither flow of drugs and addiction have reduced, nor inaction and involvement of politicians.”

In March 2016, Mukhtiar’s 28-year-old son died due to drug overdose. He held a protest after draping the body of his son with a shroud, which had slogans against drug abuse, and carried the funeral procession through the busy markets of Tarn Taran. Later, he wrapped the shroud himself and cried for justice.

“My son’s body was a memorandum to the government,” he recalls.

Even now, he wraps himself with a shroud whenever a drug addict dies. “The victims’ families pass off drug overdose deaths as snake bites or some ailment to avoid social stigma. That is why records don’t talk about such deaths in large numbers,” he said.

As canvassing has entered the final leg, Mukhtiar continues to carry out processions against drugs and posts videos on social media platforms under ‘Qafan Bolda Hai’ (the shroud screams) programme.

The issue of drug abuse has not been discussed much. It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who raked it up in his rallies in Punjab. In Jalandhar, he alleged that the ruling party was hand in glove with the drug, besides the liquor mafia.

In 2014, the BJP had made “end of drug menace in Punjab” as its top promise in the state’s manifesto.

AAP under Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann had even put up hoardings all over the state, accusing the Akalis of the drug menace.

“Drug abuse is everyday concern in Punjab. Politicians rake it up during the elections and forget it later,” added Mukhtiar. “By putting the photos on posters, I don’t mean the CM is involved. It is a symbolic protest.”

The police have arrested 14,951 drug smugglers, including 2,424 big fish after registering 10,786 FIRs. Apart from seizing a record haul of 1,161 kg of heroin, cops seized 795 kg of opium, 403 quintals of poppy husk and 83.17 lakh tablets of pharma opioids from across the state.

“These figures don’t tell the full story. As long as deaths happen due to drug abuse and recovery continues, it means the flow of narcotics is still on. Politicians come and go, but people like us suffer the most,” he said.