COLLECTIVE FIGHT REQUIRED TO ROOT OUT DRUG MENACE: VENKAIAH
HYDERABAD: It is the collective responsibility of a society to tackle drug menace, NDA'S vice presidential nominee M Venkaiah Naidu said on Sunday.
Addressing participants of an 'anti-drug walk' organised at KBR park here, he said, "This is a social problem, not a political problem, and this social menace has to be condemned by everyone. I thought, even if I was to become vice president, I would have come to this programme".
On a high-end drug racket busted in the city earlier this month by excise officials, the former Union minister said it was damaging the image of Hyderabad.
"It is the duty of the government to take strongest possible action against those selling and supplying drugs. And it is also the responsibility of every citizen to take it as a challenge and an opportunity to create awareness and fight this menace," he said.
"If everyone makes efforts and the entire society unites, this epidemic of drug menace can be fought and there will be a way to come around," he said.
Naidu also appealed to the police and excise officials to keep a watch on all eatables sold near schools and other educational institutions, saying there were reports that some of these were laced with drugs, making youngsters addicted to them.
"The country's younger generation has to be saved from drug menace. We should understand what has happened in some of the (foreign) countries which were all affected by this drug menace. We Indians, we have a great tradition and there is need to continue it," he said.
On some personalities of Telugu film industry (Tollywood) being questioned by excise officials in connection with the racket, the vice-presidential nominee said it was not proper to say only people from the film industry were involved in drug abuse.
He called upon film personalities and media to play a constructive role in tackling this issue.