<p>Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said the fight against drugs should begin at Gujarat's Mundra Port rather than Punjab, responding to BJP national president <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/pm-modis-birthday-nitin-nabin-leads-blood-donation-drive-23650463" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Nitin Nabin's campaign</a> against drug abuse in the state.</p>
<p>"The fight against drugs should not begin from Punjab, but from Mundra Port. If you care even a tiny bit about Punjab, then stop the drugs coming from Gujarat," Kejriwal said in a post on X.</p>
<p>Kejriwal's remarks came after Nabin launched the BJP's 13-day 'Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra' from Pathankot on September 18. The campaign is scheduled to cover nearly 4,000 kilometres across all 117 Assembly constituencies before concluding in Jalandhar on September 30.</p>
<h2>Kejriwal shifts focus to Gujarat port</h2>
<p>Kejriwal's response shifted the political focus from drug abuse within Punjab to alleged supply routes and the movement of narcotics through ports.</p>
<p>His statement did not provide specific evidence linking narcotics reaching Punjab to Mundra Port. The allegation comes amid a broader political dispute between the BJP and AAP over responsibility for <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/80-per-cent-drugs-in-punjab-now-coming-from-bjp-ruled-states-kejriwal-23650080" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">tackling drug trafficking</a> and addiction in Punjab.</p>
<p>The BJP has been campaigning on disrupting drug networks and strengthening action against trafficking, while AAP leaders have questioned the BJP's record and highlighted the role of supply networks outside Punjab.</p>
<h2>Nabin launches 13-day anti-drug campaign</h2>
<p>Nabin launched the BJP's statewide anti-drug campaign from Madhopur in Pathankot district on September 18.</p>
<p>The BJP said the campaign would focus on tackling drug trafficking, disrupting interstate and international supply networks, confiscating assets allegedly generated through illicit drug money, rehabilitating people affected by addiction and involving communities in efforts against substance abuse.</p>
<p>The campaign is being conducted through four separate yatras that will collectively cover about 4,000 kilometres and reach all 117 Assembly constituencies in Punjab.</p>
<h2>BJP campaign to conclude in Jalandhar</h2>
<p>The four yatras are scheduled to converge in Jalandhar on September 30, bringing the 13-day campaign to an end.</p>
<p>The BJP has presented the initiative as a statewide campaign against drug abuse and has said it aims to mobilise communities and create greater awareness about the impact of narcotics, particularly among young people.</p>
<p>The campaign comes ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, with drug abuse and trafficking emerging as a prominent political issue in the state.</p>
<h2>BJP, AAP trade allegations over drug crisis</h2>
<p>The BJP and AAP have exchanged allegations over the causes of Punjab's drug problem and the effectiveness of measures taken to address it.</p>
<p>BJP leaders have criticised the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government over its handling of the issue, while AAP leaders have questioned the BJP's record and its role in previous <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/punjab-government-employees-strike-disrupts-public-services-as-opd-services-remain-affected-statewide-23646970" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Punjab governments</a>.</p>
<p>Recent reporting has documented the continuing political dispute, with both sides highlighting different periods and measures while blaming the other for shortcomings in addressing the drug crisis.</p>
<h2>Drug trafficking remains key political issue</h2>
<p>Kejriwal's latest remarks place emphasis on alleged interstate supply routes, while the BJP campaign combines action against trafficking with rehabilitation and community participation.</p>
<p>The BJP had earlier said its campaign would involve efforts to disrupt the broader drug business and supply networks rather than focusing only on users and addiction.</p>
<p>With the 2027 Assembly elections approaching, the issue is likely to remain a major part of political debate in Punjab.</p>
<p><strong>(With inputs from ANI)</strong></p>

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