Kangana Ranaut says drugs coming to Himachal from Pakistan: ‘Kids opting for theft, breaking furniture…’

BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has blamed Pakistan for the drug menace in Himachal Pradesh and called for serious action against it. She was reacting to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla’s “Udta Punjab” remark.

Talking to the media on the sidelines of the Monsoon session of Parliament on Friday, the Mandi MP said, “Drug coming to Himachal Pradesh from Pakistan via Punjab is affecting youth and families in the state…”

The actor-turned-politician likened the drug situation in Himachal to that in Punjab and said, “The situation of drugs in Himachal is so dire that if a strict action isn’t initiated soon, the state will become like some of those Punjab villages which only have windows and females now.”

Ranaut also called the Himachali kids very “gullible, naive and simple,” and said that they are now “opting for theft; they have sold their parents’ jewellery, are stealing cars” for drugs.

“Parents come to us crying. (The kids) lock themselves in rooms, break furniture, scream, and cry for help. This (drugs) is worse than death for them,” she said.

“Udta Punjab in five years, if…”: Himachal Governor

On Thursday, Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla warned that if immediate action is not taken to eradicate drug menace, Himachal Pradesh would become “Udta Punjab” in the next five years.

Shukla said that the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases have risen by 340 per cent from around 500 in 2102 to about 2200 in 2023, and expressed concern over the “rising” menace of substance abuse in the state.

Talking about his campaign against drugs, Shukla said, “This is not just a campaign but a mission to protect our future generations and preserve the social fabric of our communities.”

He also expressed his displeasure over the “lack of government rehabilitation centres” in the state, and emphasised the urgent need for the state government to establish a new state-of-the-art de-addiction and rehabilitation centre.