CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Urges Political Unity To Strengthen Assam's Anti-Drug Crackdown

Guwahati: Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday appealed to all political parties to extend unequivocal support to the Assam Police in its fight against the drug menace, saying law enforcement agencies require political backing to dismantle organised narcotics networks operating across the state.

Replying to a discussion on drug abuse on the second day of the Budget Session of the Assam Assembly, Sarma said the House must recognise the difficult circumstances in which police personnel operate while taking on drug syndicates.

He welcomed the constructive participation of both treasury and opposition members in the debate and noted that some drug cases had also been handed over to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for investigation into inter-state and international links.

“Our relentless war against drugs is delivering decisive results. Under Mission #AssamAgainstDrugs, we have seized narcotics worth over ₹3,253 crore and arrested more than 26,500 offenders since 2021. We will pursue this crackdown till we dismantle the drug network,” the Chief Minister said.

Sarma reiterated that his government follows a "zero-tolerance" policy towards criminals who attack police personnel and said the Assam Police has been given full freedom to take the strictest action permissible under the law.

“During our previous tenure, we took responsibility and carried out an extensive campaign against drugs. However, whenever the police become strict against those involved in drug trafficking, there is criticism inside the Assembly. If there is an encounter or any strong police action, protests immediately follow. The House should understand the realities faced by our police,” he said.

Arguing that hardened drug traffickers often operate without fear of conventional legal deterrence, Sarma said political consensus was essential for effective enforcement.

“If the kind of cooperation shown by members today continues, our police will always be able to perform their duties effectively. Without political support, enforcement agencies inevitably face hurdles,” he added.

The Chief Minister said drug traffickers dealing in consignments worth crores of rupees are frequently armed and do not hesitate to attack police teams.

“In such situations, the police have to respond decisively. Earlier, we even had to defend our actions before the Supreme Court. Therefore, the House should stand with the police when they act firmly against drug traffickers,” he said.

Sarma also cautioned members against communalising the issue after some legislators suggested that drug abuse was concentrated within a particular community. Tracing the supply chain, he said investigations consistently pointed to trafficking routes originating along the Myanmar border through Mizoram and Manipur.

“When we analyse the entire supply chain, the trail eventually reaches the Myanmar border through Mizoram and Manipur. The Union Government under Home Minister Amit Shah has already initiated measures to strengthen action along these routes. We believe that with coordinated efforts, we can become even more aggressive against these syndicates,” he said.

While advocating stringent action against traffickers, the Chief Minister stressed that rehabilitation of drug addicts must receive equal attention. He expressed concern over reports of narcotics being supplied inside some rehabilitation centres and urged non-governmental organisations to establish more de-addiction facilities. He assured that the state government would provide financial assistance and introduce a dedicated support scheme for such initiatives.

The discussion was initiated by Congress MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar, who raised concerns over the social impact of drug addiction on families and young people while questioning the effectiveness of the state's anti-drug campaign despite large-scale seizures.

“Where do these drugs originate? Where is the syndicate? If so many people have been arrested, why is drug consumption still increasing? We need to eliminate this problem from its roots,” Sikdar said. He informed the House that nearly 1,300 NDPS cases had been registered in 2026 alone, leading to around 1,900 arrests and seizures of heroin, cannabis, tablets, cough syrups and other narcotic substances.

Several legislators, including AIUDF MLA Badruddin Ajmal, BPF MLA Rupam Chandra Roy, AGP legislator Deepak Kumar Das, BJP MLA Bhupen Bora and lone AITC MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed, also called for stronger measures to tackle the drug menace.

Replying on behalf of the government, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika said Assam's anti-drug campaign had intensified significantly since the present government assumed office. He said 195 NDPS cases with 217 arrests were recorded in 2011, while 2,256 cases with 4,175 arrests were registered in 2021 following intensified enforcement. The state recorded 2,878 cases in 2022, 3,350 in 2023, 3,323 in 2024, and around 3,500 cases with 4,901 arrests in 2025.

“The figures are not meant for comparison but to demonstrate how seriously this government is fighting the drug menace,” Hazarika said.

He also highlighted the Drugs Free Assam mobile application, launched in December 2021, through which citizens can anonymously report drug-related activities. According to Hazarika, the application has received more than 500 inputs so far, leading to the arrest of around 30 people.