Ludhiana: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday participated in the Vijayadashami festival in Ludhiana in Punjab and performed the burning of the symbolic Ravana of ‘chitta’ (drugs).
In his address, Home Minister Shah said that in “our tradition, the burning of Ravana’s effigy is a symbol of the victory of good over evil. Vijayadashami is the day for every person to eliminate the ego, pride, greed and other evils within themselves. On this very day, thousands of years ago, Lord Ram achieved victory over demon king Ravana, and since then the entire world has been celebrating Lord Ram’s victory as the triumph of good over evil”.
He added that he has heard since childhood that “if you want to see Ravana Dahan, go to Ludhiana, where the Ramlila Committee has been organising the Ravana Dahan programme for 200 years”.
Union Minister Shah said that on Tuesday he met families at three places in Punjab who had lost their sons in the fight against drugs.
He added that the tears in the eyes of those relatives, their questions, and their pain are enough to shake anyone to the core.
Union Minister Shah said that the Punjab government has handed over the investigation of one murder to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
He urged the state government to hand over the investigation of the remaining two murders to the CBI as well.
The Union Home Minister expressed confidence that justice will be done in these cases.
“Once the investigation is handed over to the CBI, no matter how big a person is involved in these murders, the Narendra Modi government will track them down and put them behind bars.”
Union Minister Shah said that on this Vijayadashami itself, “we take this resolve that by December 31, 2029, we will free the entire Punjab from the drug trade and make it a drug-free Punjab”.
He said that “there can be no greater tribute than this to these three brave individuals who lost their lives”.
Union Home Minister Shah said that “if the people of Punjab provide information about the drug trade on the Narcotics Control Bureau’s toll-free helpline, the Narendra Modi government will take action on it”.
He added that the Narendra Modi government has a record of fulfilling what it has promised.
“Article 370 and 35A are gone, terrorism is on the verge of being eliminated, and we have ended Naxalism.”
The Union Home Minister said that now we will also eliminate the drug trade.
(IANS)
