New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday appealed to the people, especially the youth, to unite and fight against drug addiction, terming the menace as one of the stumbling blocks for the country to achieve its full potential.

Singh was interacting with National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and the youth at a function -- 'An Interaction with NCC cadets and Pledge Against Drug Abuse' -- organised by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment here.

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Cadets from all 17 State Directorates and youths from different parts of the country joined the event through video conferencing. The defence minister urged them to fight and eliminate drug addiction on the same scale as the country's revolutionaries fought for the freedom struggle and ensured Independence.

“India is moving forward in the direction of becoming one of the superpowers of the world. But, there are some limitations which are preventing us from achieving our true potential. Drug addiction is one such limitation. Despite having all qualities, our country has not yet been able to stand in the line of developed countries, as there are many people, especially the youth, who are in the grip of drugs,” the defence minister said.

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“The youth are the future of the country. They are the cornerstones of the nation. If their present is intoxicated, their future can be easily guessed. We need to wedge a fight against drugs like we did for our Independence,” Singh said.

Elaborating more on the ill-effects of the drugs, the minister said that drugs not only adversely affect the maintenance of law and order in society, but also give rise to terrorist activities at national and international levels.

He said many international organisations accept that the money earned from illegal drug trade is used to aid terrorist organisations, which threaten the defence and security of many countries.

There is an urgent need to work together and get rid of the menace from all sections of society, he said.

Singh urged the NCC cadets to form a group of three-four cadets and try to reach out to the youth addicted to drugs, informing them about the ill-effects of drug use.

He exhorted them to first gain knowledge about the harmful effects of drug use as well as how to easily approach de-addiction centres set up by the government at various places. Through this, the cadets will be able to help those who wish to free themselves from the clutches of drugs.

“Our NCC cadets are in a way another avatar of our armed forces. If our forces are protecting the country from external enemies, then our NCC cadets can protect the country from internal enemies like drugs,” he said.

He exuded confidence that the nation will be free from the menace of drugs in 'Amrit Kaal' through the concerted efforts from all sections of society.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)