A walkathon against heroin — locally called chitta — wound through Shahpur assembly constituency on Monday, October 19, 2026, and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu joined it virtually from Shimla, turning a ground-level anti-drug march into a state-wide statement. Then came a cultural bonus: on the same occasion, Sukhu announced that Shahpur's Dussehra festival will be elevated to state-level status.

What the walkathon demanded — and who showed up

Students, elected representatives, and ordinary citizens joined the Anti-Chitta Walkathon, a public awareness campaign targeting the drug that has become shorthand for heroin abuse across northern India. Sukhu, addressing the gathering virtually, said the participation of this cross-section of society 'strengthens the resolve of a drug-free Himachal.' His message was direct: 'Our youth's dreams and their future are priceless. Together we must build an aware and empowered generation that stays away from drugs and contributes to the state's progress through education, sport, and positive thinking.'

Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania was among the senior figures present on the ground in Shahpur, a constituency in Kangra district that has hosted recurring awareness activities in recent years. Pathania's presence signalled that this was not a routine rally but a politically visible push from the ruling Indian National Congress government.

Chitta's grip on Himachal — and the state's answer

Himachal Pradesh sits on a route long associated with cross-border narcotics flows, and chitta — a white-powder form of heroin — has become its most visible symptom among young people in smaller towns and semi-rural areas. The state's anti-drug campaigns plug into the central Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, launched in 2020, which funds awareness drives and rehabilitation outreach across high-risk districts.

Walkathons, street plays, and school mobilisations have become the standard toolkit. What distinguishes the Shahpur event is the Chief Minister's direct virtual participation — a signal that the issue has moved from district administration to the CM's own communications calendar.

Shahpur Dussehra goes state-level

The second announcement on Monday added a different register to the event. Sukhu declared that Shahpur's Dussehra celebrations will henceforth carry state-level recognition — a designation that typically unlocks higher government funding, official participation, and promotional visibility for a local festival. The CM said the move will give 'a new identity to the region's rich cultural heritage.'

State-level recognition for district festivals is a well-established administrative tool in Himachal Pradesh, used to boost cultural tourism and reward constituencies with strong heritage traditions. Shahpur's Dussehra joins a tradition of such elevations that governments across the state have periodically extended to locally significant festivals.

Two simultaneous announcements — one on public health, one on cultural pride — from the same podium in a single assembly constituency mark a deliberate political and governance play. Whether the Shahpur walkathon model travels to other segments, and how quickly state-level arrangements roll out for the Dussehra, will tell the real story of follow-through.