BJP's Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra covers all 117 seats, reaches 3,000 drug-hit families
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra — a nearly two-week-long anti-drug campaign — has reached 3,000 families affected by drug abuse across all 117 Assembly constituencies in Punjab, the party claimed on Sunday, 4 October 2026. The campaign, according to the BJP, was designed not as a political exercise but as a mass public movement to amplify the voices of families battling addiction and build grassroots momentum for a drug-free Punjab.
Scale and Reach of the Campaign
According to a report compiled by the party, the yatra covered nearly 4,000 km across the state, organising 474 programmes — including public rallies, roadshows, reception events, and street-corner meetings. The campaign reportedly achieved a direct reach of 49.5 lakh people, while its social media content garnered 6.5 crore views, the party said.
The yatra was conducted in four legs, each launched from a different district, with senior state and central leaders accompanying every segment. It culminated in Jalandhar on 30 September with an address by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Leg-by-Leg Breakdown
The first leg was launched on 18 September from Madhopur in Pathankot, in the presence of BJP president Nitin Nabin and state chief Kewal Singh Dhillon. It spanned 35 Assembly constituencies and 10 organisational districts, covered approximately 1,250 km, and directly connected with over 4.3 lakh people, with total outreach exceeding 15.5 lakh.
The second leg began on 19 September from Fatehgarh Sahib, with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta as the chief guest. It covered 26 constituencies across nine organisational districts over roughly 920 km, directly reaching 3.5 lakh people and recording a total outreach of over 13 lakh.
The third leg was launched on 20 September from Fazilka by Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. Covering 25 constituencies and eight organisational districts over about 910 km, it directly reached nearly 3 lakh people, with overall outreach estimated at 12 lakh.
The fourth leg commenced on 21 September from Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, with Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in attendance. It covered 27 constituencies and nine organisational districts over approximately 850 km, directly reaching 4 lakh people and recording a total outreach of around 9 lakh.
Cultural and Religious Outreach
Taking the anti-drug message beyond political platforms, the BJP sought to embed the campaign within Punjab's religious and cultural fabric. Party leaders visited 7 temples, 23 gurdwaras, and 10 deras during the yatra. The awareness drive also featured 226 street plays and 225 Dhadi music performances, communicating the dangers of drug abuse through local storytelling traditions.
What the BJP Is Promising
State BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon described the public response as a reflection of the campaign's success, reiterating that the yatra was a mass movement rather than a political drive. He cited a commitment by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to make Punjab drug-free by 31 December 2029, adding that the BJP would work towards fulfilling that promise under all circumstances.
Notably, while the party's outreach figures are self-reported and have not been independently verified, the stated engagement with 3,000 drug-affected families underscores the human dimension of Punjab's drug crisis — and the challenge of converting public awareness into lasting rehabilitation outcomes.