New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people of the country to fight the drug-addiction menace as it leads to destruction and devastation.

Modi said that money being spent on drugs is being used for terrorist activities against the country and assured people that the government and law and order agencies will work in tandem to act against substance-abuse. Modi asked parents to spend more time with their children in order to know what is going on in their lives, adding that parents should allow their children to open up to them.

“Sometimes we blame youngsters, but it is drugs which is bad and not the youngster. I think children who have no direction and vacuum in their lives get involved in substance abuse. We must ask our children to dream big because it will motivate them to work hard and not take them towards drugs," Modi said in his Mann Ki Baat radio programme on Sunday. Modi has broadcasted two similar programmes earlier this year.

Modi said he has asked the concerned department to start a toll-free number where people can talk about drug addiction. “Some people think it is a style statement to have drugs. It is not cool, it only leads to destruction. Youngsters should have the strength to say no to drugs," Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that chemists should refrain from selling medicines without prescriptions as it may lead to misuse.

Political analysts point out that the Prime Minister is trying to build a network through the radio programme. “Mann Ki Baat resembles a typical Sangh pracharak’s modus operandi of home-to-home rapport building. However, the height of election campaigns that preceded the soft rapport building has created a lot of expectations. There is a chance that sometime in the future, the audience feels a disconnect between their expectations and the content of Mann Ki Baat," said Jai Mrug, a Mumbai-based political analyst.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Share Via