Cracking down on poppy plantation Backing War on Drugs
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Banned organisation, but the course of action taken up by them can be understood within the War on Drugs campaign launched by the then BJP led Government back in 2018. Destruction of poppy fields and law enforcing agencies of the Government have been on this campaign, with even the Assam Rifles now taking part in the destruction drive and making the drive against poppy plantation more ‘interesting’ and ‘colourful’ is the offensive launched by the Kamson group of the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) for quite some time now. Falls in line with the ongoing poppy destruction drive and this is where the question ‘where does the Government stand on the offensive launched by the ZUF ?’ arises. On one hand, the Kamson led ZUF is still a banned organisation while on the other hand, it is on course of a mission which falls perfectly in line with the drive taken up by the Government. The answer should be obvious to all, for in the eyes of the Government, it will be a case of ‘let the law takes its own course of action and no one has the right to take the law into his or her own hands.’ That such a question has been raised should underline the fact that poppy plantation spreads far and wide and there is a well worked out network behind it. As repeatedly stated here, the power behind the large scale poppy plantations needs to be unmasked. Pulling up a village chief or two or the land tillers would amount to nothing more than treating the symptoms rather than treating the disease itself. What is it that is stopping the Government from going on the offensive against the ‘hand’ behind the large scale poppy plantations ? The answer should be obvious to all and this is what has eroded people’s trust and confidence in the stand of the Government. War on Drugs should be about going after the mastermind and not rest easy with just picking up the petty drug pusher. No point in going on a publicity blitz with the acres and acres of poppy plantations being razed to the ground while stepping aside the obvious question, a question of going after the mastermind. The Kamson led group of the ZUF will not be able to do much more than going after poppy plantations, but the very fact that an armed and outlawed organisation should take up such a mission should say something significant on how the drive taken up by the Government is falling short. And as is the wont of the ‘forces’ behind the large scale poppy plantations, no attempts will be spared to give this a communal tinge and portray it as a stand off between the Nagas and the Kukis.
This is what is exactly happening at K Songlung in Kangpokpi district, after ZUF cadres went on the offensive and razed poppy fields and wrecked a hut or two used by the poppy farmers. Why should a drive against poppy cultivation be interpreted as a stand off between two communities ? Much like what happened on May 3, 2023 at Churachandpur when a rally held purportedly against a ruling of the High Court of Manipur ended up as an exercise against the Meitei community at Churachandpur and Torbung. Delhi should come to terms with the fact. Here is a case of an armed group going on the offensive against poppy cultivation and attempts being made to give it a communal tinge. It should be an open and shut case and this is where one is left wondering why Kuki militants continue to be treated with kid’s gloves. Time was when even the Assam Rifles maintained the line, ‘It is not in our brief to crackdown on poppy plantations, though we keep the State Government updated on such activities,’ refusing to acknowledge that poppy plantations should be understood beyond the mere act of clearing large swathes of forest and clearing the hillsides. The link between the drug trade and poppy plantation cannot be missed and there has to be something more than just indifference on the part of Delhi to miss the obvious. Demonstrate that drugs would not be tolerated and in doing this, Delhi should leave no stone unturned to go beyond the poppy plantations and go after the big fishes. K Songlung is the perfect case study to understand who is behind the large scale poppy cultivation in the hills.
This is what is exactly happening at K Songlung in Kangpokpi district, after ZUF cadres went on the offensive and razed poppy fields and wrecked a hut or two used by the poppy farmers. Why should a drive against poppy cultivation be interpreted as a stand off between two communities ? Much like what happened on May 3, 2023 at Churachandpur when a rally held purportedly against a ruling of the High Court of Manipur ended up as an exercise against the Meitei community at Churachandpur and Torbung. Delhi should come to terms with the fact. Here is a case of an armed group going on the offensive against poppy cultivation and attempts being made to give it a communal tinge. It should be an open and shut case and this is where one is left wondering why Kuki militants continue to be treated with kid’s gloves. Time was when even the Assam Rifles maintained the line, ‘It is not in our brief to crackdown on poppy plantations, though we keep the State Government updated on such activities,’ refusing to acknowledge that poppy plantations should be understood beyond the mere act of clearing large swathes of forest and clearing the hillsides. The link between the drug trade and poppy plantation cannot be missed and there has to be something more than just indifference on the part of Delhi to miss the obvious. Demonstrate that drugs would not be tolerated and in doing this, Delhi should leave no stone unturned to go beyond the poppy plantations and go after the big fishes. K Songlung is the perfect case study to understand who is behind the large scale poppy cultivation in the hills.