Amit Shah also warned of the threat of narco-terrorism.
New Delhi:
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) should focus on cracking down on drug traffickers and cartels, rather than targeting consumers, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday, in an apparent rebuke to the country’s anti-drugs agency in the wake of the fiasco involving movie star Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan.
Speaking at a conference of anti-narcotics task forces from states and union territories, Mr Shah said that drug users were victims who needed rehabilitation, not criminalisation. He also warned of the threat of narco-terrorism and its impact on the country’s economy and security.
“There should not be any mistake in the approach and our goal should be clear that one who consumes drugs is a victim and one who deals in drugs is a criminal, and they need to be dealt with firmly. We should help them in rehabilitation. The focus of investigation should be traffickers and cartels behind the drug trade,” Mr Shah said.
The Home Minister’s remarks follow a controversy over the NCB’s handling of a high-profile case involving Aryan Khan, who was arrested in October 2021 during a raid on a cruise party. The case sparked allegations of corruption, extortion and political interference within the NCB, leading to an internal inquiry by a special investigation team that found several lapses and “suspicious behaviour” by the team probing the case and recommended action against them. In a huge embarrassment for the agency, Aryan Khan was cleared of all charges.
Mr Shah said that drugs not only made the young generation hollow, but also had many adverse effects on the country’s economy. He also said that through narco-terrorism, drug smugglers could breach the security of the country’s border.
“If the 130 crore Indians fight it together, we will win this battle,” he said, adding that the Narendra Modi government has set a target to make the country drug-free by 2047, the 100th year of Independence.
