'Congress wants to take youth back to drugs': Shah
What's the story
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has accused the Congress of wanting to "take youth back to drugs," following a major drug bust in Delhi. The Delhi Police recently seized drugs worth ₹5,600 crore and arrested 40-year-old Tushar Goyal, who is believed to be the mastermind behind this syndicate. Investigators have found social media images of Goyal posing with Congress leaders, fueling accusations by the Bharatiya Janata Party of a potential link between the opposition party and the drug kingpin.
Alleged affiliation
Goyal's social media shows alleged connection with Congress
According to reports, Goyal's Facebook profile picture features a tiger, and his bio identifies him as the "chairman of Delhi Pradesh RTI Cell of DYPC, Indian Youth Congress." However, the Indian Youth Congress has refuted these claims, stating that Goyal was expelled from the organization on October 17, 2022 for engaging in anti-party activities.
Accusations
Shah condemns Congress's alleged involvement in drug trade
In a social media post, Shah described the developments as "dangerous and shameful." He criticized the alleged involvement of a prominent Congress leader in the drug consignment seizure, stating it was "extremely dangerous and shameful." Shah also accused the Congress of attempting to lure youth into the 'dark world of drugs,' assuring that any attempts by Congress leaders to use their political influence for this purpose would be thwarted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
Government stance
Modi government's efforts to steer youth toward sport, education: Shah
Shah highlighted the contrast between the Modi government's efforts to steer youth toward sports, education, and innovation, and the Congress's alleged attempts to lead them into drug abuse. He reiterated that the Modi government is committed to making India a "drug-free country" by dismantling the entire drug network, regardless of the political position or stature of those involved in drug trafficking.
Ongoing probe
Additional arrests and investigations in drug bust case
Besides Goyal, four others were arrested on Wednesday: Himanshu Kumar and Aurangzeb Siddiqui from Delhi, and Bharat Kumar Jain from Mumbai. The police confiscated a consignment weighing over 602kg, which was stored in sacks in a godown. Interrogation revealed that all four accused were planning to sell large quantities of drugs at concerts, rave parties, and upscale localities in Delhi and other metropolitan cities.
Syndicate investigation
International syndicate and family ties under scrutiny
Police officials disclosed that around a dozen people from India and abroad were allegedly involved in this international drug smuggling syndicate, which sourced banned drugs from Middle Eastern countries. Goyal's 70-year-old father has also been questioned by police but no involvement has been found so far. Goyal's father told news agency PTI that he had "disowned" his son in 2008 following a disagreement over his marriage but admitted that Goyal had been visiting his family for the past one-and-a-half years.