New Delhi [India], September 16 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday emphasised the need for a robust crackdown on drug cartels and highlighted the importance of protecting India's youth to achieve the vision of a developed nation by 2047.
In his address at the second National Conference of Heads of Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of States and UTs ,Shah outlined strategies to dismantle drug networks, enhance extradition processes, and streamline deportation mechanisms to combat the drug menace effectively.
The minister identified three types of drug cartels operating in India--those at entry points, distribution networks, and local retail chains. He urged ANTF heads to deliver a decisive blow to these networks.
"There are three types of cartels, one is the cartel that operates at all the entry points of the country, the second is the cartel of distribution from the entry point to the state, and the third is the cartel that operates in the states till the paan shop or the street corner selling drugs. The time has come to give a harsh blow to these three types of cartels. I believe that it can happen only when the people sitting here decide that this fight is our fight," he said.
Shah further stressed that protecting the younger generation from drugs is critical to realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a fully developed India by 2047, noting the proximity of global drug supply hubs as a significant challenge.
"Modi ji presented a concept of building a great India in 2047. An India that will be fully developed. If we want to build such an India, then it is very important to save our young generation from drugs. Because the concept of any great state, its foundation is the young generation of that country. If our future generations become hollow, then the country will go astray... Unfortunately, both the areas from where drugs are supplied all over the world are close to us... So this is the time that we fight against it strongly," he said.
Further, Shah called for stronger collaboration with the CBI to facilitate the extradition of drug traffickers operating from abroad and emphasised the need for practical deportation mechanisms.
He announced that the Home Ministry will soon issue a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to streamline deportation processes.
"Deportation and extradition of fugitives are both very important. Now the time has come to bring people who are doing drug business here while sitting abroad, within the net of our law. CBI has done a very good job in this. I request all the A&TF presidents to contact the CBI director and set up a system for extradition, which will not only be useful for drugs, terrorism, gangs, but also for everything else," he said.
"A liberal approach should be taken towards the process, a way should be ensured for the arrangement of deporting them. The Home Department is going to issue an SOP for this, too," he added.