Kerala Excise Minister hits out at opposition for 'politicising' drug menace

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 18 (PTI) Kerala Excise and LSGD Minister M B Rajesh on Tuesday strongly criticised the opposition UDF for "politicising" the drug menace and urged them to view the matter from a global perspective rather than using it for political gains.

Citing recent media reports, he said large quantity of drugs were seized across the world from Los Angeles to Imphal and Kerala.

The opposition was exploiting the issue to target the government and score points, the minister said during the discussion on demands for grants.

"Drug menace is a social evil. Any child in any home may fall prey to it. It should be countered through coordinated efforts cutting across politics. Never try to gain political mileage out of it," Rajesh said.

Refuting opposition allegations that the LDF government failed to strengthen enforcement, he said 26,454 NDPS cases were registered after the Left government came to power.

Noting that 4,474 people were punished in drug-related cases in 2024 and the conviction rate stood at 96.5 per cent, he said the state has succeeded in maintaining consistency in the conviction rate.

"Kerala is the state which has the highest conviction rate (in narcotic cases)."

According to the minister, as many as 32,846 searches were carried out in state-run schools by excise personnel in 2024 alone.


He also accused the opposition and a section of media of "targetting" SFI, the students' wing of the ruling CPI (M), in the case relating to seizure of ganja from a hostel of a government polytechnic college in Kalamassery recently.

"Kindly approach the drug issue as a social menace. Don't view this through the lens of narrow politics," Rajesh told the opposition with folded hands.

Earlier, UDF members charged the LDF government with "failing" to regulate drug mafia in the state and strengthening enforcement initiatives.

On the projects in the Local Self Government Department, the minister criticised the union government and said it's demand to affix branding logos in front of houses to be built under government schemes is a violation of people's right to live with dignity.

Those who are in power at the Centre are the ones who don't understand human dignity and social justice, Rajesh criticised.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)