Not so long ago Kerala had declared a war on drugs. The state on Thursday launched a massive anti-drug movement called ‘No to Drugs’. Inaugurating the campaign, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that it is a life and death-struggle to save the future generation. But lurking behind these moral makeups is the ploy to cover up the rot caused by massive drug addiction in the state. It’s also pertinent to note that while Communist ruling the state launches war on drugs in high frequency, it is the party itself that promotes drug trade in Kerala. In this context this article will look in to role of Left in furthering drug trade in the state and why it has turned in to a catastrophe which goes beyond politics as it affects the youth of Kerala?
The Left And Drug Trade In Kerala
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan recently said the State has reported a 3-fold increase in the cases of consumption of narcotic drugs, hence the need to tackle the menace with people’s participation assumes importance.
Presenting the trend of people getting addicted to the drugs, particularly youths, the Chief Minister said 4,650 cases were registered in 2020 and 5,334 in 2021. In 2022, 16,986 cases have been reported. What’s solution for this suggested by the CM? He has said it would organise an anti-drug human chain and awareness sessions would be held at public places like bus-stands. railway stations, libraries, and clubs, among others but it in no way solves the issue of drug menace in Kerala when party itself is the one who are actively participating in its trade.
For example, CPM member and Alappuzha municipal councillor A Shanavas was suspended from the party over the Karunagappally tobacco smuggling case. His role in to alleged drug smuggling was brought in to limelight after a vehicle belonging to him was caught smuggling pan masala worth around Rs one crore. Instead of taking action against alleged drug ties of members in the party, the party is actually stepping out of line to protect these people. Taking on the CPM senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that police are trying to clear CPM leader Shanavas of his role in the smuggling of banned tobacco products. Speaking to reporters in Alappuzha on Friday, Chennithala said police are unwilling to register an FIR, launch a probe and record arrest. He alleged that police ended the investigation once minister Saji Cherian came in Shanavas’ support. Criminals are suspended from the party to avoid police investigation, he said. There has been only a party action against area committee member AP Sona, who had stored obscene videos of women, including party members, in his mobile phone. Despite committing a crime even under POCSO Act, police have not taken any action, he stated. Chennithala also asked whether party secretary MV Govindan asked party workers to conduct house visits at night. CPM has turned Alappuzha into an arena of drug-quotation mafia and anti-social elements. Various groups in the party are competing to protect these mafias. He also slammed Cherian, saying he has no moral fervour as he is protecting the accused in the drug case.
This is not an isolated incident also, much more prominent incident tying the party deep in to drug trade has happened before. Bineesh Kodiyeri, the son of late erstwhile CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has been tied to high profile ‘Bangalore drug bust’ case before. The arrest of one Muhammad Anoop on drug charges by the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) in Bengaluru couple of years ago had led to the ED’s arrest of Bineesh Kodiyeri. The ED alleged that Anoop was Bineesh’s ‘benamidar.’ It said Bineesh had used a ‘non-functional’ restaurant opened in the name of Anoop in Bengaluru to launder profits from the narcotics trade. Anoop deposited the proceeds from drug trafficking in the restaurant’s account. Bineesh withdrew it using Anoop’s debit card. They injected drug money into the economy by making it appear as proceeds from legitimate restaurant business. The ED said Bineesh had stayed for two months in Anoop’s apartment in Bengaluru. The NCB had seized drugs from the flat. The NCB also said that Bineesh consumed cocaine and cited two persons as witnesses. So when such high profile members of the party are indulging in the drug trade and business how can one expect to believe the CM’s promise of eradicating the drug menace from Kerala? It is the party that should eradicate its internal network of drug trade first.
Kerala is a society on the brink of ‘drug pandemic’, as the number of drug seizure cases continues to increase in Kerala, the latest data by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment shows that the number of addicts availing benefits under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) in the state declined in 2021-22 compared to previous years. Kerala had only 4,887 drug addicts as per the scheme in 2021-22 while it was 6,642 in 2017-18. Deaths related to synthetic drug abuse are reported in Kerala too, it is causing not only physical issues but mental issues also. According to the Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA), drug abuse-related deaths were reported among youths in the age group of 25 to 34 in Kerala. According to the report of the National Crime Records Bureau, 12 people per lakh died by suicide in India last year, while the rate in Kerala was 26. If we look in to the specific stats concerning drug addiction or abuse related suicide also, the small state of Kerala is number one. As per NCRB Kerala has 14.2 per million suicide rate due to drug use.
The drug menace in Kerala is worsening day by day and party is playing an active role in this. Kerala might be the most literate state in the country but if this trend continues there might not be a future generation to sustain Kerala.
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