The Opposition Congress strongly criticised the rampant sale of liquor and the increasing drug menace in the state during the discussion on the Home Department's demands in the Assembly.

Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani alleged that the police only arrest drug peddlers but have not caught a single drug mafia kingpin or mastermind to date.

Mevani said drugs have reached schools, colleges, universities and hostels. Referring to a drug seizure worth Rs 72,000 crore from Gujarat's coast, he questioned who had placed the order for such a huge consignment.

Speaking about the liquor situation, he said that in 28 cases bootleggers had assaulted police personnel and that a police inspector was killed in Surendranagar. Citing a report of the central government, Mevani said that in 2019 there were 1.9 million drug users in Gujarat, including 185,000 women. Among the 52,000 inhalant users, 90 per cent are children. He said that only about 3,000 people are being de-addicted each year, and at this rate Gujarat would take 650 years to become drug-free.

The Assembly approved budget allocations totalling Rs 16,967 crore, including Rs 14,265 crore for Home and Rs. 2,702 crore for the Law and Justice Department.AM

'29 terrorists arrested by Guj ATS between 2023-26'

​​​​​​​Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi noted that 29 terrorists linked to groups such as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State Khorasan Province were arrested by Gujarat ATS between 2023 and 2026. The government has also approved over 20,400 new housing units for police personnel. Strict action against land mafias led to the clearance of 1,807 hectares of encroached government land worth Rs.2,246 crore.