Prime Minister Narendra Modi has escalated his attack on the Congress party following a massive Rs 5,000-crore drug bust in Delhi, directly accusing the opposition of facilitating drug trade and exploiting the country’s youth for its political agenda. Modi's comments came during a rally in Maharashtra, where he alleged that the Congress party is deliberately encouraging drug use among the youth, using drug money to fund their electoral campaigns. This accusation followed the seizure of an astonishing 560 kilograms of cocaine and 40 kilograms of hydroponic marijuana by the Delhi Police, valued at approximately Rs 5,620 crore.
Modi did not hold back, claiming that the main accused in this high-profile drug racket, Tushar Goyal, had direct links with Congress until 2022, and suggested that this case highlights Congress's willingness to undermine the nation’s future. "Congress wants to push the youth of the country towards drugs and use that money to contest and win elections," Modi declared, drawing sharp political lines between his government’s approach and the opposition’s alleged tactics. The Prime Minister's remarks align with his administration’s broader efforts to project a tough stance on drug abuse and illegal trade, tying the issue to national security and societal decay.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah echoed Modi’s sentiments, asserting that the BJP government has maintained a "zero tolerance" policy towards drugs. He praised the police for their diligent work in uncovering the drug smuggling network and stated that the Modi government is focused on steering the youth towards positive avenues like education, sports, and innovation. Shah contrasted this with the alleged role of Congress, accusing them of enabling drug trafficking through their political influence and turning a blind eye to the impact it has on India’s young generation. Shah further emphasized that while the BJP is working to build a prosperous future for the nation’s youth, Congress is allegedly using drugs as a tool to win elections.
The investigation into the drug bust revealed that Tushar Goyal, who has been identified as the main accused, had previously served as the chairman of the RTI Cell for Delhi Pradesh Congress. Goyal’s social media profiles under the alias "Dikki Goyal" show him posing with prominent Congress leaders, including Lok Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda and Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president Uday Bhan, adding fuel to the fire of controversy. This connection has been seized upon by BJP leaders, who are using it to portray the opposition party as morally compromised and complicit in illegal activities.
Congress, on the other hand, has vehemently denied any current ties with Goyal. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the party clarified that Goyal was expelled from his position in October 2022 due to anti-party activities and has had no affiliation with Congress since then. However, despite these claims, the optics of the situation continue to create headaches for the party, as the BJP capitalizes on the association to keep the focus on Congress’s alleged wrongdoings.
The drug trafficking operation itself is under intense investigation, with authorities uncovering that the cocaine was smuggled into Delhi by road from various Indian states, while the marijuana was brought in from Phuket, Thailand. The accused were reportedly planning to distribute the drugs at large events such as concerts, rave parties, and in high-end localities across Delhi and other major metropolitan cities. The scale of the operation, both in terms of the quantity of drugs involved and the geographical scope of the smuggling network, has led to significant concern among law enforcement agencies about the extent of drug trafficking operations in the country.
This drug bust and the political fallout from it have quickly turned into a high-stakes confrontation between the ruling BJP and Congress. For the BJP, the case provides an opportunity to portray Congress as irresponsible and disconnected from the concerns of everyday Indians, particularly the youth. Modi and Shah’s aggressive rhetoric suggests that the BJP is keen to use this issue to further undermine Congress’s credibility ahead of upcoming elections, framing the opposition as unfit to lead the nation.
For Congress, however, the challenge lies in distancing itself from the scandal without appearing to be evasive. The party’s swift denial of ties with Tushar Goyal and its effort to minimize the damage from the accusations show that it is aware of the potential political repercussions. Yet, given the magnitude of the drug bust and the association of one of the key accused with the party until very recently, it may struggle to shake off the negative attention entirely.
The entire episode has also reignited broader debates about drug trafficking in India, with many calling for more stringent laws and better cross-border enforcement to stem the flow of illegal substances. The involvement of high-profile political figures and the sheer scale of the drugs seized in this bust has intensified the conversation about the role of political influence in enabling or hindering law enforcement efforts. As the investigation unfolds, it is likely that more details will emerge, potentially adding new layers to an already complex and politically charged issue.
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