A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi charged that drug distribution was rampant in Tamil Nadu, State Law Minister S. Regupathy on Tuesday said that Gujarat, Mr. Modi’s home State, had become a haven for smuggling of narcotic substances.
Addressing journalists in Nagercoil, Mr. Regupathi said, “Mr. Narendra Modi’s Gujarat coast and the ‘Divine Dwarka’ has become haven for smuggling of drugs worth thousands of crores of rupees into the country. While allowing it to happen in Gujarat by privatising airports and the harbours, Mr. Modi is accusing Tamil Nadu which is a ‘land of peace’ with a stable government. The Union government’s Narcotics Control Bureau, which should weed-out drug smuggling, is unable to do it. However, for political mileage and with an eye on election, Mr. Modi is accusing Tamil Nadu unnecessarily. Is it Modi formula? The Tamils will never tolerate it.”
According to him, the State government had in fact intensified its war against drugs after Chief Minister M.K. Stalin assumed office. He had chaired a meeting of top police officers to eradicate narcotic substances. After the issue of uncontrolled supply of ganja from Andhra Pradesh was raised in the DGPs’ meet, cannabis grown on over 6,000 acres in the neighbouring State was destroyed.
The sustained and intense drive against ganja peddlers and smugglers in Tamil Nadu had led to the seizure of 11,418 kg of ganja in 2019; 15,144 kg in 2020; 20,431 kg in 2021; 28,381 kg in 2022 and 23,364 kg in 2023.
Moreover, the State government was keen on ensuring the conviction of drug smugglers and the peddlers by ensuring proper and speedy trial of the cases. Of the 2,416 cases registered under NDPS Act came up for hearing in 2022, the accused were convicted in 1,916 cases and 2,988 of the 3,567 cases ended up in conviction.
As part of preventive measure, the government was organizing awareness programmes against drug abuse, particularly in the schools and the colleges. Suspected places were being raided immediately on getting information about smuggling or storing of narcotic substances.
“After getting due permission from the Governor, a case has been filed against a minister in the previous AIADMK regime under NDPS Act. We are taking all these multipronged steps to make Tamil Nadu drug-free and to protect the future generation,” Mr. Regupathi said.
Training gun against the BJP and its State president K. Annamalai, the Minister said the national party had admitted 14 criminals facing cases under NDPS Act into the party and given vital posts to some of them. He also read the names of these 14 persons.
“Similarly, 18 persons facing serious charges of smuggling narcotic substances have been given posts in the BJP. After destroying the drug cartel in Gujarat and elsewhere in India and removing the NDPS case accused from the party, Mr. Annamalai should point his finger at us,” he said.
When asked about the start of the work on the AIIMS, Madurai, five years after the foundation stone was laid by Mr. Modi, the Minister said it was an ‘election gimmick’ and eyewash. “There is no allocation of funds for this project.”
Asked why the DMK had given drug racket accused Jaffar Sadiq a post in the party (since expelled), the Minister contended that the background of everyone joining the party could not be verified. “When their criminal background comes to light, there will be no space for them in the DMK,” he said.
