Prominent woman leader sceptical of Manipur government’s war on drugs

A prominent veteran woman leader in Manipur Longjam Memchoubi on Wednesday expressed apprehension over involvement of high profile and influential people in the government in drug racket in the state.
The President of Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Lup (PLMPL) also expressed dismay when no action was taken up against drug lords in the ongoing war on drugs mission of the Manipur government.
The opposition Congress had also recently echoed the same and alleged that the ongoing war on drugs campaign did not include war against drug lords.
The party had also cast its doubt on the government’s war on drugs due on involvement of high profile people in the recent arrest of five police personnel with a consignment of a huge quantity of drugs when the state government turned down the demand for a CBI probe into the case.
The PLMPL president was addressing the observance of the 19th dead university of Ema Kombi, a pioneer of the women’s movement against human right and drug abuse in the state
The president said that she was sceptical when no action has so far been initiated against drug lords in the ongoing war on drugs.
She said that there were reports of seizure of illegal drugs and arrest of peddlers almost every day in the state.
However, there was not a single report of the arrest of the owner(s) of the seized drugs.
On the other hand, poppy cultivation areas in the state were also expanding year by year despite the news of destruction of poppy plants every year in the past.
“This has compelled us to think of the involvement of high profile or influential persons in the government in the drug racket,” she said.
She alleged that the problems caused by drug trafficking and abuse are worsening in the state day by day despite the government’s war on drugs mission.
Womenfolk of the society have been campaigning against drug trafficking and abuse for a long time. However, the drug menace is worsening day by day, she observed.
Drugs have claimed thousands of precious lives. The drug addiction among the youths is also increasing day by day.
Forest coverage was also reducing due to mass deforestation for poppy cultivation in the hill districts, she asserted.
For the success of the government’s war on drugs, a strong commitment and sincerity was needed on the part of the government and also a collective movement of the people.
Women’s role is indispensable in this regard. It is high time for the women of both hills and valley to unite and fight against drug menace and poppy cultivation.
Otherwise, Manipur will be engulfed by drugs, the veteran woman leader worried.