PREFACE

PREFACE

The Death Route:

‘Genocide’ of a Civilization

An illustrated revelation

The population of India has reached over a billion and rising. Estimated to be more than 1.277 billion in 2015 and rising, its culture, value system, economy etc are changing fast and so are the related stresses.

There is a generic crisis situation emerging out of the complexities of life. A vicious genie arising out of a multitude of problems; educational, emotional, social, job and family related; political, economical, and health related as well, to name a few.

One of these resultant dynamics, unfortunately, revolves and hovers around drugs, both legal and illegal.

Indian Punjab sitting on a part of the land of one of the greatest civilizations ever; the Indus Valley Civilization of Mohan-jo-daro and Harrappa, which got lost into oblivion because of reasons unknown, is now inhabited by more than 29.6 crore individuals. Unfortunately, in addition to earlier mentioned generic problems common to all upcoming and even ‘throbbing’ civilizations, it has an additional curse on it, the ‘Curse of Indus Valley Civilization of Mohan-jo-daro and Harrappa’. It is all set to be lost to ‘Drugs’; call it a perpetual genocide, annihilation, murder, politics or whatever.

Indian nation in general and state of Punjab in particular is in a serious grip of drug addiction. Entire cross section of society, particularly the youth are suffering most.

Governments sleep and youngsters die.

Nero fiddles with his flute as Rome burns.

No government, either at the national or at state level has ever seriously tried to at least quantify the problem. They, like an Ostrich, are in a state of perpetual denial. May be it is a genetic problem of all Indian political parties, a faulty political DNA. As per reports on the net, about seventy percent of youth of Punjab are said to be addicts of different type of drugs. They have consumed one or the other drug at one time or the other are  'hooked' Yes, no one knows how correct this calculation is? It could be more or less. But complicity and inaction of governments is more than obvious. It has never ever tried to conduct a scientific study based on a reasonably good sample size. And consequently, Punjab continues to lose one generation after the other. Substantial number of upcoming Punjabi generation is suspected to be ‘mixed’ on account of massive infertility looming all over the state because use of drugs. Mushroom growth of ‘fertility’ / ‘infertility’ centers all over the state has its own story to tell. Agreed, there are several reasons for male infertility but Drugs remain one of the major causes.

And what are the governments are doing?

They are just busy playing ‘Nukkad Nataks’, street dramas. They are just busy carrying out half baked drives and manufacturing fake data to be shown to courts and public; trying to make fool of both of them. And part of this data is being ‘created’ by arresting petty poor end users and petty pushers. May be in the eyes of law they have committed an N.D.P.S. crime but for an activist, they are just ‘sick persons’ needing a treatment. Police and other ‘anti-drug’ agencies have never ever tried even to touch real big fish of the game and incidentally, in the context of Punjab, even a kid knows the real identity of such Drug Dons. They are public names covering the entire political spectrum. They come under the generic category of the ‘who is who’ of  Punjab.

There are several important steps which need to be taken to contain this menace, discussion on which unfortunately, is considered a taboo in our society. A separate chapter on this issue has been included in this book.

Basic purpose of this book is to take up this issue in entirety. It traces the history of illegal drugs in Punjab, worst affected state in country. It touches upon the PDPCA nexus; The Politician-Drug Smugglers-Police (read security forces)-Criminals-Addicts nexus which is rampant in Punjab. Recent incidents of Pakistani intrusion and terrorist actions in Dinanagar and Pathankot have added yet another dimension to this unholy chain. Now Terrorists are also known to be an indelible part of this vicious chain. 

This book intends to create public awareness to such an extent that governments,  police and the judiciary ‘get forced’, on account of massive public opinion, to act against drug smugglers and their accomplices; to cut off the chain of supply and to work for de-addiction in a real and earnest way. Such a wishful thinking shall also help in reducing the onslaught of terrorism on the country which is thriving with the help of a good chunk of drug money and sleeper cells all over. Another major chunk of drug money is being used for political purposes by some ‘political goons’ while our Election Commission’ watches on helplessly.

In addition to Punjab, an effort has also been made to study the drug problem in states of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, and Mumbai; all of which also face the problem of drug addiction and are in various stages of ruins. It is, however admitted that issue pertaining to these states, has not been dealt with as deeply as in case of Punjab. Though nature and stages of drug addiction and prevalence thereto are at variance in all the above mentioned states but the existence of PDPCA nexus exists in all the states.

Since the subject matter of the book is dry and boring, so with a view to make the book attractive for children and youth, it is in the style of a coffee table book. This segment, that is the children and youth needs to be educated the most, under their parental supervision. The book, thus, also has a chapter for the guidance of families as such, indicating the way to broach the topic with children. Hope that it will be useful for them as well.

The book also indicates steps; the writer is taking to create awareness in society and to highlight the issue through the courts of law, which are considered to be one of the most important pillar of our national structure.

Effort has been made to make each chapter complete in itself and as such, to complete the story; some facts may appear to have been repeated. Inconvenience is regretted, but it was necessary to make each chapter complete in itself.

Hope it will be of use to  youth, families, NGOs, society as also for those who want to approach courts of law to ensure that this malignant cancer stops eating into the vitals of the very basic structure of our society; THE YOUTH...

Collective steps are required to save the society, particularly youth...

The victim can be just any one...

Just any family...

Just any one...

God forbid

…..Shashi Kant

Chandigarh

February 12, 2016