Mohali (Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar), October 10:- Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann today launched the decisive phase of the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign from the historic land of Chhapparchiri and flagged off a bike rally that will travel through all 23 districts to turn the fight against drugs into a people’s movement. On the occasion, the Chief Minister said that drugs would not be allowed to be sold in Punjab, even secretly. He called upon every Punjabi to participate wholeheartedly in this decisive battle against drugs to secure the future of the state’s youth and restore Punjab’s lost pride.
With suggestion and complaint boxes accompanying the rally and the team of the film ‘Thapi’ joining the awareness campaign, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann urged young people to choose education and sports over drugs. He held the previous governments of the BJP, Akali Dal and Congress responsible for spreading drugs and damaging Punjab’s image.
Sharing his thoughts on X, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Today, the bike rally was flagged off from the historic land of Chhapparchiri, marking the beginning of the final phase of the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign. The fight against drugs is not the responsibility of the government or the police alone. We must all unite to turn it into a people’s movement. I sincerely thank actress Neeru Bajwa, the team of the film ‘Thapi’ and everyone who cares about Punjab’s welfare for joining this campaign. Punjab is the land of Gurus, Pirs, saints, martyrs, sportspersons and brave generals. Let us unite to make our Punjab drug-free and restore its pride as Rangla Punjab. Inquilab Zindabad.”
Addressing a large gathering, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Beginning the final phase from the historic land of Chhapparchiri carries great significance because this land is associated with the historic battle fought by the great Sikh general Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Ji against injustice and oppression. The same spirit of courage, sacrifice and determination will guide Punjab in its fight against drugs.”
The Chief Minister said, “‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ cannot be won by the government alone. Every Punjabi needs to stand united for this purpose. The state government has launched a strict campaign against the evil of drugs, and I appeal to people from every walk of life to actively participate in it. This battle is not merely against smugglers; it is about protecting the lives, dignity and future of Punjab’s young generation.”
He said, “This bike rally will pass through all 23 districts of Punjab and carry the message against drugs to villages and cities. A special vehicle will also accompany the rally to collect people’s suggestions for the welfare and development of the state. This initiative will strengthen public participation and spread awareness at the grassroots level, turning the anti-drug campaign into a people’s movement.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “During the rally, a complaint box will also be available for people to provide information about drug smugglers or share related information. The objective is to reach villages and cities, create awareness about drug addiction and encourage affected people to seek treatment. The participating bikers are ambassadors of the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign, serving society through this noble initiative.”
Appealing to the public, the Chief Minister said, “These bikers have set out with a message of courage, hope and a bright future. I urge people to share information about drug smugglers through the ‘Safe Punjab’ helpline.”
Reiterating the government’s resolve to dismantle drug-trafficking networks, he said, “Anti-drone systems have been deployed along the borders to detect and intercept drones used for smuggling drugs from across the border. The government is further strengthening its efforts to stop cross-border drug trafficking and protect Punjab’s youth from this menace.”
He said, “Punjab is the sacred land of Gurus, saints, Pirs and prophets. We cannot allow drugs to destroy the future of our children. With firm resolve and public cooperation, the government is committed to eradicating this evil from its roots.”
Highlighting efforts to create employment opportunities, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “We have provided 70,885 government jobs strictly on merit, ensuring transparency and fairness in the recruitment process. Creating employment opportunities is an important part of our efforts to channel the energy of young people in a constructive and productive direction.”
Taking a dig at previous governments, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Years of neglect deprived Punjab and its people of opportunities. Through people-friendly policies, accountable governance and development initiatives, our government is providing people with more and more opportunities, directly benefiting ordinary families.”
Referring to the ‘Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satkar Yojana’, free electricity, Aam Aadmi Clinics, improved school education, world-class road infrastructure, quality healthcare facilities and dedicated initiatives to provide sports grounds in villages, he said these measures reflected the government’s commitment to building a modern, prosperous and progressive Punjab.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Around 15,000 village and ward defence committees have been formed to eliminate drugs from every village and town. Approximately 1.25 lakh members of these committees are working as anti-drug volunteers.”
He said, “More than 81,000 drug smugglers have been arrested, 3,900 kilograms of heroin and 983 kilograms of opium have been seized, and the conviction rate in drug-trafficking cases has reached 89 per cent.”
The Chief Minister further said, “A total of 51,979 citizens provided information about drugs through the ‘Safe Punjab’ helpline, resulting in 25,339 arrests. Based on information provided by village defence committees, more than 4,000 FIRs have been registered and 5,000 arrests have been made. Under the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign, Punjab Police has held more than 75,000 public meetings in 17 months.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “People suffering from drug addiction have developed greater trust in the government. This has encouraged them to contact de-addiction centres to overcome their addiction. In one year, the number of patients admitted to government de-addiction centres has almost tripled, and treatment there is provided entirely free of cost. More than 40,000 patients have received treatment at these centres.”
He said, “Skill development and sports training have been introduced at de-addiction and rehabilitation centres to help young people recovering from addiction get their lives back on track and prevent them from returning to drugs. Since March 2025, skill training has been provided at de-addiction centres in 21 districts.”
Referring to the ‘Soorme’ initiative launched this year, he said, “Through this initiative, young people who have remained drug-free for two years are being honoured. They are now serving as role models and guiding others towards a drug-free life.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Around 7.5 lakh students have been brought under the drug-prevention programme to protect the next generation from the menace of drugs. I appeal to all young people to give up drugs permanently and embrace education and sports.”
He said that the sports budget had been substantially increased to encourage young people to participate in sports, with Rs 1,791 crore allocated for the sector. He added that 3,100 rural sports grounds and 3,000 gyms were being developed.
Emphasising the role of sports in tackling drugs, the Chief Minister said, “‘Khedan Watan Punjab Dian’ has brought a revolutionary change in the state’s sporting culture by encouraging participation across different age groups. Three generations of families are competing in different categories. Sports give young people a positive direction, discipline and opportunities to achieve at national and international levels.”
Highlighting Punjab’s contribution to Indian sports, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann referred to the important roles played by Shubman Gill, who is leading the Indian men’s cricket team; Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the national women’s cricket team; and Harmanpreet Singh, who led India’s gold-medal-winning hockey team during the recently concluded Asian Games in Japan.
He said, “Nine of the 11 players in the Indian hockey team belonged to Punjab. We also appreciate Pritpal Singh Brar’s leadership in basketball.”
Recalling Punjab’s sporting legacy, he paid tribute to Milkha Singh, Dara Singh, Olympian Balbir Singh and Olympian Surjit Singh.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Punjab has the talent, determination and sporting tradition needed to produce champions and Olympians. The government is fully committed to carrying this legacy forward and providing young people with opportunities to progress.”
Highlighting the contribution of Punjabis to cinema, the Chief Minister announced that a world-class film city equipped with modern facilities would be established in the state.
He said, “This proposed project will further strengthen the Punjabi entertainment industry and create new opportunities for artists and professionals.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The cleaning and rejuvenation of village ponds through the Seechewal and Thapar models is an important step towards sustainable rural development.”
Reiterating the government’s commitment to protecting religious sentiments, he said, “A law has been enacted to ensure exemplary punishment, including life imprisonment without parole, in cases of sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The government is committed to upholding the honour of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, protecting people’s religious sentiments and taking strict action against such crimes.”
In conclusion, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The final phase of the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign will be pursued with full determination and public cooperation. We will leave no stone unturned to make Punjab drug-free and build a safe, healthy and prosperous future for its people.”
Cabinet Minister Dr Balbir Singh and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
