Describing drug abuse as a “national pain” that caused darkness, destruction and devastation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people on Sunday to come together for a “drugs-free India.”
In the third edition of “Mann Ki Baat,” his now-popular radio address to the nation, the Prime Minister said drug abuse was a “psycho-social-medical” problem and needed to be addressed as such.
“When I was Gujarat Chief Minister, several officers would come to me for leave and share the pain about their children mired in the world of drugs … once when I was in Punjab, I saw the anger and pain of mothers there,” Mr. Modi said.
He commended the news media for their role in spreading awareness of the menace, and assured the nation that a helpline would be set up soon to address the issue better.
“At a recent conference of Directors-General of Police held in Assam, I shared my pain and anger on the issue with officials, and asked them to find out ways to address this. I also asked them to set up a helpline,” he said.
He asked social-media users to spread awareness of drug abuse on various platforms. “Since several children stuck with drug abuse are also active on social media, I urge people to launch a movement under #Drug Free India,” Mr. Modi said.
He expressed concern that pharmaceutical products such as cough syrups were being used as recreational drugs, and said “such medicines” should not be sold without prescription.
Later in the address, Mr. Modi expressed happiness at the unanimous adoption of International Yoga Day by the United Nations, which was proposed by him in his first-ever address at the General Assembly of the world body in October.
“Yoga has shown that it can work to bring the world together … the entire world came together on the issue of Yoga … 177 countries adopting the resolution is a world record,” he said.
Mr. Modi commended the Indian team which recently won the Blind Cricket World Cup in South Africa for its resolve and enthusiasm. He expressed happiness that Jammu and Kashmir beat Mumbai in a Ranji Trophy group match.
“The way the team from the flood-ravaged State performed was unprecedented,” Mr. Modi said.
