PATHANKOT (Pb), Apr 25: In the backdrop of inflow of drugs from Pakistan into Punjab, Narendra Modi today warned India’s enemies, who failed to break up the country, have resorted to narco-terrorism as part of their nefarious designs to destroy the youth.
“The people who cannot defeat us in wars, those who cannot destroy us by the bombs and bullets of terrorists, those who fail to break our country internally, such inimical forces have now taken to new route, which is very dangerous and that is narco-terrorism,” Modi told an election rally here for BJP candidate from Gurdaspur constituency Vinod Khanna.
Drug trafficking and rampant drug abuse by Punjab’s youth is a major poll issue in the state which shares a 550-km boundary with Pakistan. Huge cache of drugs are routinely seized by BSF and other agencies in Punjab.
Congress and ruling SAD-BJP have in the past accused each other of patronising drug trade.
It was Modi’s first election rally in this border town of Punjab where polling for all 13 Lok Sabha seats will be held on April 30.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was among those present at the rally here.
Modi said the drug mafia was destroying the youth of the country for the sake of money.
“Every mother, especially every mother of Punjab, is worried that his son does not get addicted,” he said referring to the drug menace which has increased in the state over the years.
Modi said when BJP-led NDA at the Centre comes to power, it will put an end to drugs being pushed into Indian territory from across the border.
“We won’t allow our youths to be destroyed,” he said, adding the country’s border security will be modernised.
“The priority of BJP government will be not to allow inflow of drugs into our territory from across the border. These drugs are destroying our youth,” Modi said.
The Gujarat Chief Minister also touched upon the problem of fake currency and said “the way a conspiracy has been hatched to destroy the youth of India with drugs, likewise to derail our economy, fake currency is being pushed from foreign land”.
Referring to Gurdaspur town bordering Pakistan, he said “we are sitting on Pakistan’s border…If we save Gurdaspur and Pathankot, we will be successful in saving entire Punjab (from the inflow of drugs and fake currency from across the border)”.
Apparently hitting out at those politicising the issue of drug problem in Punjab, Modi said “politics has its own place but if our youths are destroyed then what good will this politics do”? (PTI)
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