‘Parents Brigade’ to lead anti-drug fight in J&K, says LG Manoj Sinha

In a major community-driven push against rising drug abuse, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday unveiled plans for an informal ‘Parents Brigade’ across villages and urban wards, positioning families at the frontline of the fight against narcotics in Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking during a public outreach programme against drugs in Budgam, Sinha said the initiative would create a voluntary network of parents, women and youth trained to identify early warning signs of addiction and guide affected families toward support systems.
Calling for a united societal response, he urged every section — from households to institutions — to rise against the growing menace, warning that drugs are not only destroying young lives but are also linked to terror funding and broader security challenges.

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Reinforcing the urgency of the campaign, the Lieutenant Governor asserted that the administration, law enforcement and civil society must act in unison to eliminate the threat, even as he appealed to citizens to shed stigma, speak up, and actively participate in building a drug-free Jammu and Kashmir.

Sinha joined a large people’s movement in Budgam as part of the drug-free J&K campaign and assured the citizens that every arm of administration would act with resolve and unity to confront the issue and ensure that the threat is effectively eliminated.
The Lieutenant Governor appealed to every family, social organization, spiritual and political leaders in Budgam to intensify the drug-free J&K campaign across the district and assured them that the administration and its full strength is committed to eradicating drugs.

“I believe that every young person lost to addiction is a loss of strength for our future workforce, and a lost soldier for our police and Army. Every family broken by addiction is a crack in the foundation of our society,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor observed that in this war against drugs, society must accept the truth that many boys and girls are in the grip of narcotics. He said there is no harm in accepting this, as they are our own children. They are victims, not criminals, and they need our embrace, compassion and care.

The Lieutenant Governor further stated that drug addiction is not just a health issue; it is also a crisis of national security. He said drugs entering into our society do not only hollow out the aspirations of our youth and damage their self-confidence, but the drug trade is also funding terrorism and radicalization.

Referring to Pakistan, the LG said, “The entire world knows that our neighbour is a major patron of terrorism, smuggling drugs into Jammu Kashmir. Drug trafficking and terror funding are no longer separate issues-they are two hands of the same enemy. We must remember that when we fight against drugs, we are also fighting against terror. When we protect our youth, we protect our nation,” the Lieutenant Governor said.