Shillong, Sep 9: Nongkrem MLA Ardent M Basaiawmoit took an arch conservative stance on the issue of sex and drugs in the Assembly today, dubbing the state government’s approach to both as completely wrong.
Raising a special motion, the opposition MLA from the Voice of the People Party (VPP) voiced alarm over the rising number of drug users in the state and accused the government of lacking seriousness in tackling the problem. He stated that it is believed that there is a nexus between drug cartels and the police and questioned whether the state machinery was indirectly facilitating the drug trade.
Drawing a comparison, Basaiawmoit questioned why the government, which once responded to militancy with an iron fist, is now treating the drug crisis with what he described as “utter casualness.”
He argued that drug abuse is just as destructive, if not more, as militancy, destroying individuals, families and society from within. He pointed out that while the government crushed militancy with military and political will, the same level of resolve is missing in the fight against drugs. He noted that over 3 lakh drug addicts have been recorded in the state, a figure he says indicates the complete failure of the government’s DREAM (Drug Reduction Elimination and Action Mission) campaign.
In one of the most explosive segments of his speech, Basaiawmoit hinted at an alleged nexus between the drug mafia and people in power, including police officers and political figures. He referenced reports and community rumours suggesting that drug trafficking operations worth over Rs 1,000 crore a month are thriving, possibly due to protection from high-ranking officials. Citing incidents where seized drugs “vanished” from police custody and video confessions from users implicating certain officers, he demanded a full-scale, independent investigation. “This government has been seen as one that promotes mafias and racketeers,” he declared, calling the silence of the administration “deeply suspicious.”
The VPP leader also pointed to the lack of affordable rehabilitation centres and the inaccessibility of treatment for the poor. While many addicts are willing to recover, he said their families are unable to afford the high cost of treatment. He accused the government of failing to allocate sufficient funds under the DREAM Mission and demanded a public disclosure of all expenditures related to drug rehabilitation.
“If we continue as we are, we will fail,” he warned. “We must mend our ways as a community. The solution is not just legal or administrative – it is moral, spiritual, and cultural.”
