CM Saini rallies Haryana youth at Namo Marathon for drug-free state
Synopsis
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini celebrated mass youth participation at the Namo Marathon on 27 September 2026, framing lakhs of runners as the vanguard of a drug-free, healthy Haryana under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan banner.
Key Takeaways
CM Nayab Singh Saini posted on 27 September 2026 celebrating youth turnout at the Namo Marathon in Haryana.
The event carried an explicit anti-drug message under the theme 'Nashamukht Haryana, Swasth Haryana' (Drug-free Haryana, Healthy Haryana).
Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan was tagged by CM Saini, indicating celebrity participation to boost youth engagement.
The marathon is part of the BJP-led Seva Sankalp Abhiyan , a broader service and social welfare outreach programme.
Haryana governments have run anti-drug awareness drives targeting youth since the 2010s , making this part of a long policy lineage.
District-level Seva Sankalp Abhiyan events and potential announcements on de-addiction facilities are the key developments to watch.
Thousands of young Haryanvis hit the streets on Sunday, 27 September 2026, as Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini cheered on a mass run that fused fitness with a sharp anti-drug message — turning a marathon into a movement.
Posting on X, CM Saini declared that the enthusiasm of Haryana's youth in the fight against narcotics had reached its peak — 'नशे के खिलाफ हरियाणा के लाखों धाकड़ युवाओं का जोश शिखर पर है' ('The spirit of lakhs of bold Haryana youth against drugs is at its peak'). The post, tagged under #NamoMarathon and #SevaSankalpAbhiyan, also mentioned former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, a familiar face in public fitness drives.
Namo Marathon as an anti-narcotics platform
The Namo Marathon series has become a recurring feature of BJP-led state campaigns that link physical activity to social goals. In Haryana's case, the message is pointed: drug abuse among youth has been a persistent concern across successive state governments since the 2010s, and the marathon format is designed to make that concern visible — and loud. Lakhs of steps, one goal: a drug-free, healthy Haryana.
Celebrity association amplifies the reach. Shikhar Dhawan, tagged directly by CM Saini, lends the kind of youth-facing credibility that government messaging alone rarely commands. It is a well-worn formula — but one that keeps working precisely because the audience trusts the athlete before it trusts the policy.
Seva Sankalp Abhiyan's broader welfare push
The run sits inside the larger Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, a BJP outreach programme that bundles service and social welfare activities ahead of and during key political periods. District-level events under the Abhiyan have been rolling out across Haryana, with de-addiction awareness as a headline theme. The emphasis on youth — described as 'धाकड़' (bold, fearless) — reflects a deliberate framing: these are not passive beneficiaries but active agents of change.
Whether the energy of a marathon Sunday translates into expanded de-addiction infrastructure is the question that outlasts the run. Announcements on new or upgraded facilities would be the tangible follow-through the moment is pointing toward.
One hashtag, lakhs of runners, zero tolerance for drugs — CM Saini is betting that the streets of Haryana have already delivered the answer.
Point of View
Celebrity-backed public event and tie it to a national-level brand. The Seva Sankalp Abhiyan framing lifts the local run into a pan-party service narrative, giving both the Chief Minister and the central leadership a shared optics win. The real test, as analysts tracking Haryana's drug problem have long noted, is whether the street-level enthusiasm converts into measurable policy outcomes — more de-addiction centres, better rural outreach, sustained funding. A marathon is a powerful image; the follow-through is the story that matters.
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Namo Marathon in Haryana?
The Namo Marathon is a fitness and awareness event series linked to initiatives associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In Haryana, it has been used as a platform to promote anti-drug messaging among youth, with the 27 September 2026 run falling under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan campaign.
What is the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan?
The Seva Sankalp Abhiyan is a BJP-led outreach programme focused on service and social welfare activities. In Haryana, it has been channelled toward anti-drug awareness and community health drives, with district-level events running across the state.
Why is Shikhar Dhawan associated with the Haryana anti-drug marathon?
Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan was tagged by CM Saini in the post, indicating his involvement or support for the event. Celebrity participation is a recurring feature of such campaigns to increase credibility and youth engagement.
What is Haryana's track record on anti-drug campaigns?
Haryana governments have run successive anti-drug awareness and de-addiction drives targeting youth substance abuse throughout the 2010s and early 2020s. The Namo Marathon represents the latest iteration of this long-standing policy priority.
Who is Nayab Singh Saini?
Nayab Singh Saini is the Chief Minister of Haryana and a senior BJP leader who assumed office in March 2024 . He has actively promoted youth-facing welfare and fitness initiatives as part of his administration's public outreach.
