Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Saturday (March 1, 2025) blamed the Left front government for its “failure to crack down on the drug mafia that has spread rapidly across the State.”
“The government and its agencies, including the Excise and the police, have not yet been able to identify the source of highly dangerous narcotic substances being dumped into the State”, he told mediapersons in Ernakulam.
Mr. Satheesan alleged that Kerala has turned into a State where you can “source drugs within minutes.”
“It is available everywhere. Students appearing for the SSLC examinations are holding drug parties. Drug parties have become common in five-star hotels, vacant houses and open places”, he said.
Calls for mass campaign
Stating that the Opposition was not interested in a political fight over the serious issue, the Opposition Leader said that mere awareness campaign would not yield the desired results. “We had assured full support to the government in its action against the drug mafia. The source of the drugs must be identified and sealed. There should be also a mass campaign against the threat of drugs”, he said.
He blamed the Students Federation of India (SFI) leadership for their “involvement” in ragging incidents on the campuses and violent attacks on students for “not subscribing” to their various demands. “The accused were getting support as they remain close to the Left front government”, he said.
While referring to the tragic death of a 15-year-old at Thamarassery in Kozhikode district, he said that clashes involving school students were on the rise.
On the outcome of the meeting of the leaders of the Congress party with its central leadership in New Delhi on February 28, Mr. Satheesan said that the State leadership was “united” in its mission target of winning “over 100 seats” in the next Assembly elections.
On reports that he had opted out of the race for the Chief Minister post in the wake of a United Democratic Front win, Mr. Satheesan said that “the party never approached an election by highlighting a face as its Chief Ministerial candidate.”
Published – March 01, 2025 02:11 pm IST
