Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said that the government has set a target to eliminate the drug menace from India by 31st December, 2029. Speaking at the Police Commemoration Day ceremony at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi, Mr Shah called upon police forces across the country to work towards eliminating narcotics by the end of 2029. He said, the drug menace is a serious challenge as it damages future generations, places an undue burden on the economy and provides financial support to organisations involved in anti-national activities.
The Home Minister said that the country has liberated itself from the menace of Naxalism on the 31st of March this year. Paying tributes to police personnel who laid down their lives in the service of the nation, Mr Shah said that the country had endured the pain of Naxalism from 1981 until March 2026. During this period, more than three thousand six hundred security personnel and nearly 13 thousand innocent civilians lost their lives.
Home Minister Shah said a total of 36 thousand 852 police personnel have laid down their lives in the line of duty since Independence. He said the country’s citizens remained grateful for the sacrifices made by the martyrs and their families. Mr Shah said that the sacrifices of Police Personnel had laid the foundation for the country’s progress and development. The Minister said that the nation could not have safeguarded its internal and external security without the supreme sacrifices made by police personnel.
The Minister said that the protection of the country’s democracy and the smooth functioning of the democratic system are not possible without Central Armed Police Forces. He said, electoral violence has ended in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Mr Shah said, this time, due to the vigilance of the security forces, elections in West Bengal were conducted without any violence for the first time.
Earlier, Union Home Minister flagged off a nationwide motorcycle rally from the National Police Memorial to mark the National Police Commemoration Day. The bike rally, organised under the theme Fight Against Drugs, comprises around 90 riders representing nine States and Union Territories, alongside personnel from Central Armed Police Forces and Central Police Organisations.