CM Bhajan Lal Sharma pens op-ed on drug-free Rajasthan drive
Synopsis
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma published a newspaper op-ed on 8 August 2026 calling drug abuse a threat to youth, families, and society, and urging every citizen to share the duty of building a drug-free Rajasthan.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma published an op-ed on 8 August 2026 on the goal of a Nasha Mukt Rajasthan .
He described youth as the 'cornerstone of the nation's bright future' and addiction as a threat to health, dreams, family, and society.
The CM framed drug-free Rajasthan as a collective social responsibility , not solely a government mandate.
The messaging aligns with the central government's Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan launched in 2020 .
No new state legislation or specific programme was announced; the focus is on awareness and cultural mobilisation.
A chief minister who writes his own newspaper column to fight a social crisis is making a statement beyond policy. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Saturday, 8 August 2026, published an op-ed in a leading daily calling youth the 'cornerstone of the nation's bright future' — and squarely naming drug abuse as the threat standing between that promise and reality.
In the article, Sharma wrote: 'Nasha vyakti ke swasthya, sapnon aur bhavishya ke saath parivaar evam samaaj ko bhi kamzor karta hai' — 'Addiction weakens not just a person's health, dreams and future, but also the family and society around them.' The framing is deliberate: this is not a law-and-order problem alone, it is a collective moral responsibility.
Why Rajasthan's youth are at the centre of this push
Sharma's argument rests on a simple but urgent logic — youth energy, if misdirected, becomes a liability; if channelled positively, it becomes the engine of nation-building. The Chief Minister called on all citizens to share the duty of steering young people away from substance abuse, describing a Nasha Mukt Rajasthan (drug-free Rajasthan) as a collective resolve, not a government programme alone. This language echoes the architecture of the central government's Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to mobilise communities — not just enforcement agencies — against drug abuse. Rajasthan's messaging fits squarely within that national framework, reinforcing it at the state level through the credibility of the chief minister's own byline.The op-ed as a political and social instrument
State governments across India have increasingly used newspaper columns and social media to frame de-addiction drives as shared societal duties rather than top-down mandates. For Sharma, choosing a weekend op-ed — rather than a press conference or a scheme launch — signals that the immediate goal is awareness and cultural shift, not fresh legislation. The column reaches a readership that a government circular never would. What follows in the weeks ahead will matter: district-level awareness programmes, NGO partnerships, and measurable outreach under the Nasha Mukt Rajasthan banner will determine whether this column is a starting gun or a standalone gesture. The Chief Minister has set the moral stakes publicly. The administrative follow-through is the next test.Point of View
Mirroring the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan's community-mobilisation logic. The absence of a new scheme or legislation suggests the immediate priority is narrative-setting ahead of potential programme rollouts. Whether this column catalyses measurable district-level action or remains symbolic will be the true measure of its intent.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma write in his newspaper article?
Sharma wrote that youth are the cornerstone of the nation's future and that addiction weakens not just individuals but families and society. He called building a drug-free Rajasthan a collective responsibility of all citizens.
What is Nasha Mukt Rajasthan?
Nasha Mukt Rajasthan is the Rajasthan government's goal of making the state free from drug and substance abuse, framed as a shared social mission involving youth, families, and communities.
What is the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan?
The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan is a central government initiative launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to mobilise communities across India against drug abuse.
Did Bhajan Lal Sharma announce any new anti-drug scheme or law?
No new scheme or legislation was announced. The op-ed focused on awareness, collective responsibility, and channelling youth energy positively rather than introducing fresh policy measures.
Why did Rajasthan CM write a newspaper op-ed on drug abuse?
Sharma used the op-ed format to reach a broader public audience and frame drug abuse as a societal issue requiring collective action, going beyond government circulars or press conferences.
