UDF Launches 'No Drugs, No Crime' Campaign in Kerala Amid Concerns of Rising Violence

The Congress-led opposition UDF is initiating an awareness campaign to combat drugs and crime in Kerala, starting with a hunger strike. Opposition leader VD Satheesan states that Kerala faces increasing violence and drug issues. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor calls for a united effort to tackle the drug menace.

The opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), led by Congress, is set to kick off an awareness campaign titled 'No Drugs, No Crime' on Wednesday, featuring a hunger strike in front of the Kerala secretariat. The event will be inaugurated by Opposition Leader VD Satheesan.

In an interview with ANI, VD Satheesan voiced his concerns about escalating violence in Kerala, attributing it to rampant availability of drugs and the ineffectiveness of local enforcement agencies. Satheesan urged comprehensive enforcement to dismantle the drug networks and expressed disappointment over law enforcement's failure to trace the sources of drugs.

In a related development, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor voiced his concerns about the increasing drug problem, highlighting the necessity for coordinated action between state and central governments. Tharoor called for a 'war on drugs,' urging collaboration across religions and political affiliations to raise consciousness and address the issue holistically.

Meanwhile, Satheesan challenged the Kerala government's claims of growth in the start-up ecosystem as fabricated. He alleged that the report by 'Start-up Genome' was misleading and constituted a false narrative, facilitated by financial transactions with the government.

(With inputs from agencies.)