Punjab Launches ‘Nasha Mukti Yatra’ Amidst Judicial Concerns Over Police-Mafia Drug Collusion

Punjab Launches ‘Nasha Mukti Yatra’ Amidst Judicial Concerns Over Police-Mafia Drug Collusion

RMN News Story Highlights

• AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal announced a ‘Nasha Mukti Yatra’ as part of an ongoing “War Against Drugs”.

• The Punjab and Haryana High Court stated there is criminal collusion between Punjab Police and criminals in the drugs mafia.

• A 2022 study by PGIMER reportedly revealed that over 3 million people consume drugs in Punjab.

• It is alleged that Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann is reluctant to stop the illegal drugs business because AAP politicians are allegedly involved in this racket.

By Rakesh Raman
New Delhi | May 16, 2025

Chandigarh, Punjab – ‘Nasha Mukti Yatra’ Punjab’s War Against Drugs. A significant new initiative has been announced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab as part of an ongoing effort described as a “War Against Drugs”.

AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, accompanied by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, announced this ‘Nasha Mukti Yatra’. The yatra is planned to reach every village and ward across Punjab. Its stated purpose is to strengthen people’s resolve against drug abuse and the selling of drugs.

The ‘Nasha Mukti Yatra’ aims to connect people with the Nasha Mukti Abhiyan. During the yatra, people will be encouraged to take oaths against consuming drugs themselves, preventing drug sales in their local areas, and helping drug addicts get treatment.

In a tweet on May 16, 2025, Arvind Kejriwal stated that the Punjab government has established large-scale arrangements for the treatment of drug addicts. He also claimed that in the two and a half months prior to his announcement, the Punjab Police and Punjab Government had initiated a “war against drugs,” resulting in action being taken against drug smugglers “on such a large scale” for the first time.

However, this government initiative comes amidst serious judicial concerns regarding the drug situation in the state. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has stated there is a criminal collusion between Punjab Police and criminals in the drugs mafia.

According to an NDTV report, the court reportedly rebuked the Punjab Government and police for allowing the drugs trade to flourish in Punjab. The judges specifically noted that since police personnel are allegedly not appearing as witnesses in drugs-related cases, there is a possibility they are “operating hand in glove” with the mafia running the illegal drugs trade in the state. The court urged the government and police to take immediate action to combat the drug menace in Punjab.

Drug addiction remains a profound issue in the state, described as a major problem “killing thousands of people“. A 2022 study by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is reported to have revealed that over 3 million people consume drugs in Punjab.

Allegations have also been made that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is reluctant to stop the illegal drugs business. It is alleged that this is because AAP politicians are involved in this lucrative racket which is claimed to be killing the youth of Punjab.

It is alleged that the priority for AAP is to “make money by hook or by crook” to expand its political operations with the aim to win the Punjab election in 2027. It is further claimed that Arvind Kejriwal made a “false promise” before the 2022 Punjab election to combat the drug menace in just three months.

Contrasting with Kejriwal’s recent statements about progress, it is alleged that after three years of the Bhagwant Mann government, the drug situation has worsened, with lethal drugs openly sold in many parts of the state in alleged collusion with police and other officials.

By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.