Police forces should unite to make India drug-free: Amit Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday urged all police forces across the country to work towards the government’s goal of making India drug-free by 2029.

Shah, who was addressing police officers at the National Police Memorial in Delhi on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day, also lauded the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) for conducting elections peacefully in West Bengal.

During his address, Shah also said that while India’s three internal security hotspots—J&K, the Northeast, and areas with Left Wing Extremism (LWE)—are peaceful and seeing development, the focus should be on cracking down against drug smuggling.

“The country is still not completely free from problems. We still face many challenges. The home ministry has decided to wage a united fight against drugs in the remaining three and a half years—2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029—and to rid the country of the drug problem by December 31, 2029,” he said, asking all forces to join this battle.

The home minister also said that West Bengal, which has a history of electoral violence and killings, reported no such incidents during elections this year.

“While the country succeeded in eliminating electoral violence in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, electoral violence had persisted in Bengal for a long time. In the recently concluded Bengal Assembly elections, our security personnel achieved great success in completing the elections without a single loss of life, and in doing so, the Central Security Forces have set a new standard. Today, the entire country believes that the country is free from electoral violence,” he said.

Shah also said that the year 2026 is a very important year for the Indian Police, because the war against Naxals was won on March 31, 2026.

Addressing a press conference, Home Secretary Govind Mohan said around 2,000 artists from 126 Naxal-affected districts across the country will participate in this year’s Ekta Diwas parade in Gujarat’s Kevadia as part of a special programme celebrating national unity and the end of armed Naxalism. “The parade has been a regular part of all Ekta Diwas celebrations but this year it will feature all the forces from CAPFs and state police, who have been at the forefront of the struggle against armed Naxalism. During the parade when each contingent passes in front of Honourable PM, a short film will be displayed on a number of LED screens which will summarise their salient achievements against this fight.”

Mohan also said that the National School of Drama(NSD) will present a drama through an array of 2,000 artists—all drawn from 126 districts across the country that at some point witnessed the menace of Naxalism. “These 2000 artists will through their performance, replay live examples of what they went through when armed Naxalism was rampant and how their lives and properties were threatened by militants belonging to Naxal elements day in and day out,” he said.

Project Karmaveer launched

Shah also announced the launch of ‘Project Karmaveer’, wherein former police and CAPF personnel and widows of martyrs from these forces will operate 400 common service centres across the country.

In a post on X, Shah said, “Our police personnel and jawans of the Central Armed Police Forces are true karmaveers, who hold duty above all, even at the cost of their lives. In their honour, on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day today, ‘Project Karmaveer’ is being launched, under which the brave widows of martyrs and former personnel will operate 400 Common Service Centres across the country. Through these centres, they will be able to earn a respectable livelihood by providing pension, banking, and citizen services.”