Drug-Free Punjab Yatra: BJP chief Dhillon thanks people after 13-day drive
Synopsis
The BJP's 13-day 'Drug-Free Punjab Yatra' covered 4,000 km across all 117 Assembly constituencies — and concluded with Home Minister Amit Shah making a headline pledge: a drug-free Punjab by 31 December 2029, if BJP wins the next state election. It is as much a political promise as a social campaign.
Key Takeaways
Punjab BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon thanked citizens and party workers on 1 October 2026 for the success of the 13-day 'Drug-Free Punjab Yatra' .
The yatra covered more than 4,000 km across all 117 Assembly constituencies of Punjab.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Jalandhar and pledged to make Punjab drug-free by 31 December 2029 , subject to a BJP-led government being elected.
The concluding programme was held in Jalandhar on Wednesday , drawing large crowds from across the state.
Dhillon called drug-free Punjab a collective societal responsibility , not the mandate of any single party.
Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Kewal Singh Dhillon on Thursday, 1 October 2026, extended his gratitude to the people of Punjab for their overwhelming support in making the party's 13-day 'Drug-Free Punjab Yatra' and its concluding programme a resounding success. Dhillon described the yatra as no longer a political campaign but a full-fledged mass movement aimed at ridding the state of the drug menace.
Scale and Reach of the Yatra
According to Dhillon, the BJP covered more than 4,000 km during the yatra, traversing all 117 Assembly constituencies of Punjab, reaching villages and households to spread awareness about the harmful effects of drug abuse. The BJP chief said the scale of the public response demonstrated the deep resolve among ordinary citizens to confront and eliminate the problem at its roots.
Amit Shah's Role and the 2029 Pledge
Dhillon expressed special gratitude to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for visiting Jalandhar and lending his weight to the campaign. He said Shah personally listened to the anguish of families devastated by drug abuse and — moved by the suffering of mothers and sisters — made a firm public commitment to a drug-free Punjab. Notably, Shah reportedly set a target of making Punjab drug-free by 31 December 2029, contingent on the formation of a BJP-led double-engine government in the state following the upcoming Assembly elections. Dhillon said this pledge has given people of Punjab renewed hope and confidence.
Modi's Leadership Cited
The state BJP chief also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that under his leadership the country remains committed to confronting every challenge, including the drug menace. He acknowledged the contributions of BJP workers, leaders, organisers, and volunteers who worked around the clock to ensure the yatra's success.
A Collective Responsibility, BJP Says
Wrapping up the campaign, the concluding programme was held in Jalandhar on Wednesday, drawing participants from across the state. Dhillon underlined that making Punjab drug-free is not the responsibility of any single political party but a collective obligation of society as a whole — a framing that analysts note is significant ahead of the state's forthcoming Assembly elections, as the BJP attempts to broaden its outreach beyond its traditional base. With the yatra now concluded, attention will turn to whether its momentum translates into electoral and policy impact.
Point of View
But the electoral subtext is impossible to miss — Amit Shah's 2029 deadline is explicitly tied to a BJP government forming in the state. Punjab's drug crisis is real and well-documented, yet the BJP is in opposition here, which makes this campaign both a genuine outreach effort and a pre-election pitch rolled into one. The test of credibility will come if and when the party is in power: past anti-drug drives by successive state governments — Congress and AAP alike — have left the problem largely unresolved. Promising a deadline without detailing a mechanism risks repeating that cycle.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Drug-Free Punjab Yatra?
The Drug-Free Punjab Yatra was a 13-day awareness campaign conducted by the Punjab BJP, covering more than 4,000 km across all 117 Assembly constituencies to highlight the harmful effects of drug abuse and mobilise public support for a drug-free Punjab.
What did Amit Shah promise during the campaign?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his visit to Jalandhar, reportedly pledged to make Punjab drug-free by 31 December 2029. He linked the target to the formation of a BJP-led double-engine government in Punjab after the forthcoming Assembly elections.
Where was the concluding programme of the yatra held?
The concluding programme of the Drug-Free Punjab Yatra was held in Jalandhar on Wednesday, with participants attending from across the state.
Who is Kewal Singh Dhillon?
Kewal Singh Dhillon is the President of the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He led and coordinated the 13-day Drug-Free Punjab Yatra and thanked citizens, workers, and senior leaders for its success.
Why does the BJP's anti-drug campaign matter politically?
Drug abuse is a deeply felt crisis in Punjab, making it a significant electoral issue. The BJP, currently in opposition in the state, is using the campaign to broaden its public outreach ahead of the next Assembly elections, while seeking to associate senior central leaders like Amit Shah and PM Modi with the issue.
