Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 21: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday urged police forces across the country to work towards eliminating narcotics by December 31, 2029, warning that drug abuse threatens future generations and funds organisations involved in anti-national activities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set December 31, 2029, as the deadline for achieving a drug-free India. Shah said the remaining months of 2026 and the years 2027, 2028 and 2029 would be dedicated to a united nationwide campaign against drugs.
Addressing the Police Commemoration Day event at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi, Shah paid tribute to police personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. He described the fight against narcotics as a major national priority, highlighting its impact on young people and the economy.
Shah also said India had eliminated decades of Naxalism by March 31, 2026. He credited the Chhattisgarh Police, Central Armed Police Forces, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its CoBRA unit for their contributions to the fight against the insurgency.
According to Shah, more than 3,600 security personnel and around 13,700 civilians were killed in Naxalism-related violence between 1981 and March 2026.
The annual commemoration included a joint parade by the Central Armed Police Forces and Delhi Police. The day honours 10 police personnel killed in an ambush by heavily armed Chinese troops at Hot Springs in Ladakh on October 21, 1959.
Shah also flagged off a motorcycle rally titled ‘Fight Against Drugs’, featuring around 90 police riders from several states and Union territories, along with personnel from central police organisations.
According to an official statement, the rally is part of a nationwide initiative under which riders will travel to Ekta Nagar in Gujarat to participate in the Ekta Parade on October 31.
Participants include riders from Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi. Personnel from the CRPF, Central Industrial Security Force, Border Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Security Guard, Railway Protection Force, National Disaster Response Force and National Investigation Agency are also taking part.
The initiative aims to spread awareness about the fight against narcotics as the country works towards the December 31, 2029, deadline for a drug-free India.