Stepping up Punjab’s fight against drugs, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday launched the second phase of Yudh Nashean Virudh at Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, expanding the state’s ongoing crackdown into a broad-based people’s movement. Addressing a large gathering on the university campus, the AAP Chief cited concrete outcomes from the first phase, including large-scale action against traffickers, high conviction rates and growing public participation, and said Phase II would consolidate these gains to decisively dismantle drug networks across Punjab.

Addressing the gathering, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal stated, “After the remarkable success of Phase One of ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ (war against drugs), Phase Two is beginning today. Phase One was launched on 1 March 2025, about ten months ago, and the honesty, hard work and determination with which it was implemented has never been seen before, not just in Punjab but in any state across the country, in a fight against drugs. It is not that drugs are sold only in Punjab. There are many states, including Haryana, Gujarat, Delhi and several others, where drugs are sold openly and in large quantities, but the governments there simply do not care.”

Recalling the situation before the AAP government was formed, the AAP Chief continued, “In Punjab, before us, when the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government was in power, drugs were pushed into every lane and every household during their rule. It was during that time that Punjab was so deeply trapped in drugs that the film ‘Udta Punjab’ was made. Punjab saw drugs entering homes, and many of their senior personalities were directly involved in selling drugs. After that, Captain Amarinder took an oath on the Gutka Sahib and said he would eliminate drugs in thirty days or sixty days. His government lasted five years and nothing was done. Those were false oaths. After that, our government came.”

Elaborating further, Arvind Kejriwal said, “We took some time because proper preparation was needed, but after 1 March last year, the intensity and courage with which we began action against drugs was unprecedented. Many people warned us that drug traffickers are extremely dangerous, that they are big gangsters, criminals and goons, and that they could harm our families. We said no, we have come after making a promise to the people that we will make Punjab drug free and secure a good future for our children.”

Detailing the scale of enforcement, he added, “In the last ten months, 28,000 cases have been filed against drug traffickers. At such a massive level, in the seventy five years since Independence, no state in the country has ever filed so many cases. These are not fake cases. When these cases reached the courts and the FIRs were examined, in 88 percent of the cases the accused were sent to jail. If these were fake cases, they would have collapsed, but those being caught by the police are going to jail and are being punished by the courts. Out of every 100 cases, jail was ordered in 88 cases, and among the 28,000 cases that have reached the courts so far, 88 percent have resulted in imprisonment.”

Emphasising arrests and action against major networks, the AAP Supremo shared that around 42,000 smugglers have been arrested. Never before has any state caught smugglers at such a large scale. Among them are 350 big smugglers. People would have seen it in their own villages, in localities and neighbourhoods, where smugglers’ properties, huge mansions, bungalows, buildings and offices were built. For the first time, a government used bulldozers to demolish their buildings.

Pointing to the impact of visible action, he said, “People began to feel that for the first time a government had come that was truly fighting against drugs. It was shown live on television and this action is still continuing, with strong action being taken against big smugglers. The biggest trafficker in Punjab, whose name made people tremble, whose name even the administration feared to utter, was arrested and sent to jail by this government, your government. No one earlier had the courage even to take his name, let alone send him to jail. The police were afraid, the administration was afraid and even senior leaders were afraid, but the AAP government had the courage to put him behind bars.”

Explaining how public confidence was rebuilt, Arvind Kejriwal emphasised, “This strengthened people’s morale and they began coming forward. When we started this campaign, our biggest challenge was to win public trust. People said that many parties come, make big promises and nothing happens. But when people saw buildings being demolished, traffickers’ houses and large mansions being bulldozed, smugglers being arrested and even the biggest leader among them being caught, people began to trust us and started coming forward with information.”

Narrating an incident that shaped Phase Two, he continued, “One day, an interesting incident took place when CM Bhagwant Mann and I were sitting together. He called a young man from his village and asked who sells drugs there. The boy named the person, told where he sits, where he sells and from whom he gets the drugs, explaining that the supplier sits under a bridge and sources it further from elsewhere. This showed that the entire public knows who sells drugs. That single incident became the foundation of Phase Two.”

Introducing community participation, the AAP Chief added, “Village Defence Committees (VDC) have now been formed. From every village, 10 to 20 people were brought together and committees were formed. People were asked who wants to come forward and who wants to make ‘Rangla Punjab’ again. Youth volunteered, saying they would fix their villages. Teams of 10 to 20 volunteers were formed in every village and ward and named Village Defence Committees. So far, one hundred and fifty thousand volunteers have joined these Village Defence Committees. This is not a small number. Earlier, only the police and administration were working, but now one hundred and fifty thousand volunteers will work together to make Punjab drug free. They have been trained and will provide information about drug sellers in their villages.”

He further explained that an app will be installed on their phones where they can report who is selling drugs, where the drugs come from and all related details. “Their identity will be kept confidential and they will be fully protected. All monitoring will be done at the Chief Minister’s Office to ensure action is taken and no local level collusion is allowed. If anyone from the administration or police is involved, information should be shared and they too will be sent to jail.”

Arvind Kejriwal stated, “A missed call number has been issued for the three crore Punjabis who want to fix Punjab. Any youth who wants to join the VDCs can give a missed call and will receive training from the Punjab government. On 13 February, a grand gathering of these one hundred and fifty thousand ‘Pind De Pehredar’ (volunteers) will be held. Between 10 January and 30 January, padyatras will be taken out across every lane, corner, neighbourhood and village in Punjab to involve the entire state in this movement.”

Addressing cross border trafficking, Arvind Kejriwal added, “Most drugs come from Pakistan through drones that drop packets along the border. For the first time, the Punjab government purchased anti drone systems using its own funds instead of waiting for the Centre. If any drone comes from Pakistan now, it is intercepted, shot down and prevented from delivering drugs into Punjab. Another crucial responsibility of the VDCs is treatment. Lists should be made of those who are addicted and they should be counselled and taken to de-addiction centres. When our government came, these centres were in terrible condition, but now they have air conditioning, CCTVs, televisions, good food and capacity increased from 1,500 to 5,000 beds. CM Bhagwant Mann and I personally visited several centres and people now trust that proper treatment is available.”

Concluding with a collective appeal, he stated, “With the police, administration and the Aam Aadmi Party government working actively, the people of Punjab must now come together. All three crore Punjabis will together make ‘Rangla Punjab’ and drug free Punjab.”

Addressing the gathering, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The enthusiasm of the people shows that we are very close to winning this war against drugs.” He said that issues of health, education and dignity of the common man had come to the centre of governance because of Arvind Kejriwal. “This fight against drugs has become a mass movement because drugs is not just a crime, it is a social problem,” he said.

The Chief Minister said, “Only a mass movement can end drugs. Police or government action alone is not enough.” He said that earlier governments had patronised the drug trade, whereas the present government had cracked down on it without fear. “Punjabis have an indomitable spirit. We have overcome floods and many challenges together, and we will defeat drugs as well,” he said.

Referring to Punjab’s image, the Chief Minister said, “Despite drug recoveries in other states, Punjab alone has been unfairly defamed. This is part of a conspiracy and is completely unwarranted.” He said that Yudh Nashean Virudh was about saving future generations and that its results would soon be visible on the ground.

Bhagwant Singh Mann said that those who had patronised the drug trade were now facing the consequences of their actions. “When the history of Punjab is written, the contribution of every citizen who became a warrior in this movement will be recorded in golden words,” he said, thanking the people of the state for standing with the government.

He said, “Drug addicts are victims. They need sympathy and treatment, and our government is leaving no stone unturned for their rehabilitation.” He added that previous regimes had encouraged the drug trade for political interests, while this movement aimed at building a ‘Rangla Punjab’.

The Chief Minister said, “While our government is focused on development and welfare, the opposition is banking on divisive agendas.” He said that people would never forgive those who had committed sins against Punjab. “With the active support of the people, we will transform the destiny of this state,” he said.

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjab’s international border had been exploited by drug traffickers, but the government had adopted a zero-tolerance policy. “Those who spread misery by selling drugs are enemies of society, and they will not be spared at any cost,” he said.

Assuring the people, the Chief Minister said, “I will not rest until this problem is uprooted completely. Phase II of Yudh Nashean Virudh will be more successful than Phase I, and Punjab will script a new success story.”

He said that a comprehensive, multi-dimensional strategy was in place. “We have broken supply lines, sent big players to jail, treated and rehabilitated victims, and taken strict action against the properties of traffickers. This campaign will continue until Punjab is completely free from drugs,” he said.

The Chief Minister said, “A true leader speaks the language of the masses and understands their emotions. The opposition has no such leader and no agenda.” He said that the state government had upgraded education infrastructure, improved healthcare and provided jobs to 61,000 youth without corruption, while the opposition had nothing constructive to offer.

Speaking on the occasion, senior AAP leader and Punjab Prabhari Manish Sisodia said, “Punjab has set an example by successfully completing Phase I of Yudh Nashean Virudh.” He congratulated the state government and said the credit for the success of the campaign went to Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Singh Mann.

Manish Sisodia said, “Earlier crackdowns against drugs were only a sham due to lack of political will.” He said that Phase I focused on strict police action and rehabilitation, while Phase II would see the public directly confronting drug smugglers. “This community crackdown will be decisive in eliminating drugs and will bring even silent spectators into this fight,” he said.

On the occasion, Cabinet Ministers Aman Arora, Dr Balbir Singh and Tarunpreet Singh Sond, Lok Sabha MP Raj Kumar Chabbewal, Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal and others also addressed the gathering.

Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, Special DGP Arpit Shukla and senior officers of the state administration were also present.

Phase II enters a decisive stage

The second phase of Yudh Nashean Virudh marks a critical stage in Punjab’s sustained war against drugs, building on the campaign that began in February 2025. From the land of Doaba, the Pindān de Pahredār initiative has been launched, under which padyatras will be conducted across nearly 15,000 villages and wards between January 10 and January 25. The campaign seeks to encourage citizens to become active guardians of their own villages and neighbourhoods in the fight against drugs. Alongside this, a missed-call number, 9899-100002, has been launched to allow any citizen to register their village as part of the movement, after which the Chief Minister’s team will personally reach out to involve them in anti-drug activities.

Village Defence Committees at the core of the movement

A dedicated Yudh Nashean Virudh mobile application has been launched for members of the Village Defence Committees, enabling them to share information related to drug activity while keeping their identity confidential. The Village Defence Committees were formed between August and October 2025 to strengthen the campaign at the grassroots level, following the Nasha Mukti Yatra. In just three months, 1.50 lakh volunteers joined these committees and took an oath to make their villages drug free. This initiative transformed the anti-drug effort into a broad-based people’s movement across Punjab, ensuring sustained public participation against drug networks.

Training, coordination and accountability mechanisms

To institutionalise the campaign, more than 50,000 Village Defence Committee members were trained on November 6 and 7, 2025, at the assembly constituency level. The training clarified their roles and responsibilities, established coordination frameworks for better communication, and introduced structured reporting protocols for sharing drug-related information. Identity cards were distributed to committee members to strengthen their credibility among villagers and clearly define accountability. Earlier, between May and July 2025, the Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign covered more than 15,000 villages under the Nasha Mukti Yatra, during which communities took pledges not to allow drug smuggling within their boundaries, drawing even socially isolated individuals into active participation.

Enforcement and action against drug networks

A comprehensive and multi-dimensional strategy has been adopted to make Punjab drug free. This includes breaking supply lines, arresting and jailing major players connected to the drug trade, treating and rehabilitating drug victims, and using bulldozers on properties created through drug money. Between March 1 and December 31, 2025, 29,352 cases were registered under the NDPS Act, 39,981 traffickers were arrested, 1,849 kg of heroin and 28 tonnes of poppy husk were seized, and drug money worth ₹15.25 crore was recovered. During this period, 358 major traffickers involved in cases with over 2 kg of heroin were arrested, 490 drone activities were detected along the international border with 252 drones recovered, and properties worth ₹299 crore were confiscated. Courts heard 6,040 NDPS cases, resulting in 5,317 convictions, reflecting an 88 percent conviction rate. Additionally, 50,433 anti-drug awareness meetings were held across districts.

Expanding treatment and rehabilitation infrastructure

On the treatment front, more than 10.48 lakh patients have been registered at 547 Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment clinics. Over 5,000 dedicated beds are now available for drug rehabilitation and treatment, with all services provided free of cost and government reimbursement extended for private treatment as well. Punjab currently has 36 government de-addiction centres, 19 government rehabilitation centres, 143 private de-addiction centres, 72 private rehabilitation centres and 55 empanelled rehabilitation centres, in addition to facilities linked with 44 nursing colleges and 11 medical colleges. A DDRP portal has been created for real-time monitoring, with secure record-keeping and Aadhaar-linked biometric verification.

Rising treatment uptake and capacity building

Government de-addiction centres have seen a sharp rise in patient numbers, increasing from 962 to 2,674 in August 2025 and from 632 to 2,756 in September 2025. Government rehabilitation centres recorded an increase from 254 to 888 patients in August and from 275 to 804 in September. OOAT clinics registered 27.64 lakh monthly visits in September 2025, showing a year-on-year increase. Capacity building measures include training 24 psychologists as master trainers at AIIMS Delhi, training over 1,000 medical officers, initiating recruitment for 180 psychologists, and designating five medical colleges as cluster resource centres. Partnerships have also been forged with organisations such as the Sun Foundation to provide skill development, employment and reintegration opportunities to recovering patients, with skill development units established at seven rehabilitation centres.

Focus on prisons, education and prevention

Additional initiatives include the establishment of de-addiction centres in eight central jails, with centres planned for Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur, and the introduction of well-being clinics across prisons. Recruitment of 60 psychologists for all 25 jails is underway. Under the Soorma Program, individuals who have overcome addiction are being recognised as ambassadors of recovery, with 25 such individuals identified through 700 calls and prepared for district-level engagement. Training has also been extended to law enforcement and the judiciary, with workshops organised at National Law University, Patiala, for 720 investigating officers and government prosecutors on NDPS regulations and mainstreaming drug victims.

Sports, youth engagement and public reporting

Preventive efforts include the introduction of a drug prevention curriculum in all government schools for Classes 9 to 12, creating awareness among more than 8 lakh students. Rehabilitation bed capacity has expanded from 1,455 beds at the launch of the campaign to 4,940 beds. Thirty-one new OOAT centres have been opened. To keep youth engaged in constructive activities, 3,100 stadiums are being constructed at a cost of ₹1,350 crore, 3,000 modern gyms are being set up and 17,000 sports kits have been distributed. A WhatsApp number has also been launched to report drug trafficking, with confidentiality of informers assured.

Zero tolerance and sustained commitment

Acknowledging Punjab’s geographical challenge of sharing an international border that has been exploited as a drug trafficking route, the campaign reiterates a zero-tolerance policy towards drug traffickers. Strict surveillance and enforcement measures continue to be implemented to address this vulnerability. The overarching commitment remains unchanged: those who spread misery by selling drugs are enemies of society and will not be spared, and the campaign will continue relentlessly until Punjab is completely drug free.