UDTA PUNJAB

                                               

 The  above  titled  film  has  created  a  sensation  in  India and among the Indian Diaspora  living  abroad, even  before  its  release.  It has brought to light the widespread use of drugs by Punjabi youth and the havoc caused by it on Punjabi society.  The  scourge  was  reported  earlier  through   articles  in  the  print  media,  but  the  film  has  exposed the  veracity,  severity of this catastrophe that is  threatening the  social  fabric,  health and  wellbeing  of  thousands of  youth in Punjab.

Punjab  has  always  been  known  as  the  land  of  plenty,  prosperity  and  valor. It is one  of  the  most  developed  states  of  the  Indian  Union,  and  has  been  the  forerunner in various  fields like agriculture, industrial   development, infrastructural advancement,  lionhearted  inhabitants,  hardworking  labor  force et al. It  still  remains the  wheat granary of India and  feeds  a  sizable  percentage  of  the  Indian populace.

I  happened  to  view a  documentary  aired  by  an  English  Channel  on  this  disturbing subject  a  fortnight  back.  A  sense  of  anguish  and  sadness  permeated  in my mind and  it took me  some time  to  get  away  from  it. 

The   scenes  were  disturbing  indeed. The  camera  captured  piles  of disposable syringes, empty, half filled, fully loaded vials of spurious, life threatening drugs, generated  both  internally within the state and stealthily smuggled from across the border. Amidst  lush  green  fields,  youngsters  were  seen smoking hashish, and injecting  drugs,  on  the  light   of   dawn  itself.

The  reporter  focused  on  some highly  infested  pockets  and  featured  on  numerous families  whose  wards  have  lost  their  youth,  energy  and  life  in  Toto, having become  slaves  of  drugs.  The   effects   were  very  clear  to  see.  Scores  of  youth sported  dazed  looks,  hazy  mind  and  face,  exhibited   devastated  and  wreaked frames.  The irony  is  that  the  hapless  victims  openly  confided  that  they  cannot  live  without drugs.    Many  distraught  parents   have  resigned / reconciled  themselves  to  the  cruel,  sadistic  game  that  destiny  had  thrust  on  them.

It   is  high  time  the  State  and  Central  Governments  crack  the  whip  and  come down  heavily  on  the  drug  peddlers  /  traffickers,  by  meting  out  stringent punishment  on  them,  so  as  to  redeem  the  dynamic  youth  of  Punjab  from  the cancerous  spread  of  drug  addiction.  This  disease  needs  a  strong  panacea, and  given  the  alarming  ground  reality,  wielding  the  stick  alone will  help and  provide succor  to  thousands  of  devastated  families.

UTO  PUNJAB. TIME  TO  RISE  AGAIN.

JAI HIND