Thinking Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir |
Speaking at a public mobilization program against drug abuse in Pulwama on May 19, 2026, LG Shri Manoj Sinha stated, “I have seen the silence that had gripped Kashmir for years finally break, and today that silence has given way to a powerful movement against drug abuse”. Mr Sinha has assured a comprehensive rehabilitation policy for youth and deserves all appreciation for leading from the front against the drug menace. Former Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu advocates for more “care and less coercion” while arguing that drug addiction is a mental condition rather than a moral failing or a criminal act. In my article “Drug Abuse: An Issue in State Electoral Politics,” in this paper on November 22, 2022 impressed upon political parties to include drug abuse in their party manifestos for raising public awareness. It is important to note that drug abuse is not a Kashmir-centric problem. Any form of transnational criminality is a shared responsibility of states and requires a broader framework for analysis. The Nasha Mukt campaign can yield positive results if we approach Kashmir with empathy.
Ignorance or SilenceFor a considerable period, there was ignorance regarding both the magnitude of the drug menace in Kashmir and its horrific impact. The hydra-headed fear prevailing in Kashmir certainly obstructed any campaign for social and cultural recovery. Conflict entrepreneurs had a field day in diverting attention from social ills, while spoilers were never far behind. However, a small but committed civil society remained at the forefront of discussing such issues and successfully maintained balance in the discourse on Kashmir.
In 2012, we were invited to speak on drug abuse at a higher education institute in Ganderbal in a programme co-hosted by the police. The Superintendent of Police informed me how individuals working in the institute’s canteen were allegedly involved in supplying drugs to students. On November 11, 2018, Justice Bilal Nazki, then Chairman of the State Human Rights Commission, organised a seminar on the drug menace on World Human Rights Day. He was criticised by several groups for choosing such a theme. Subsequently, we invited him to the Academic Staff College of Kashmir University for a more focused discussion, and the revelations he shared were deeply alarming.Many studies have since been conducted by scholars and researchers from within and outside Kashmir to guide state policy and assist institutions in combating this menace. The reality is that a region like Kashmir, beset with multiple challenges, has often had to engage in firefighting on many fronts. What is needed now is empathy rather........