New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is known for his ‘no-nonsense’ attitude, lost his cool after Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy tried to interrupt his speech while he was replying to a short-duration discussion in the Lok Sabha on the drug-abuse problem on Wednesday. The Union Home Minister, who was in the midst of his speech on the drug-abuse problem in the country, was so angry with the repeated interruptions that he chided the veteran TMC leader saying, “This kind of behaviour is neither good for your age and nor suits your seniority.”


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Stopping his speech halfway, the Home Minister sat on his chair and told the TMC MP that he is free to speak whatever he wants. The ruling side MPs present in the Lok Sabha were seen smiling and thumping the desk which prompted Speaker Om Birla to appeal for calm and continue the proceedings.


 



 


A visibly angry then got up and continued his reply, saying the battle against drugs was delicately poised and urged states to fight the menace together with the central government, keeping aside politics.


Zero-tolerance towards drugs: Shah 


Amit Shah assured the lawmakers that the Modi government has a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs and vowed to put behind bars drug traders, howsoever big, in the next two years. "We have mapped the drug network across the states. No matter how big the criminal is, in the next two years there will be a situation that they will be behind bars," Shah said.


He said the issue of the drug menace is a serious one as profits from this trade are also used to finance acts of terror. He said the presence of dirty money also destroys the economy and the government will leave no stone unturned in achieving the target of drugs free India.


Shah said Rs 97,000 crore worth of drugs were destroyed between 2014 and 2022 while Rs 23,000 crore worth of drugs were seized between 2006 and 2013 and the government will carry forward its campaign against drugs with gusto. On the seizure of 3,000 kg of drugs in Gujarat, he said it was a reflection of the state government's proactive action against the menace. He said all those involved in the smuggling of the drugs were arrested.


 



 


The source of drugs was traced to some Gulf countries and action has been taken to ensure that the factories have been shut down, he said, adding the consignment was seized due to the scientific surveillance mounted by the Customs department and allied agencies.


Referring to the row over the powers given to the border guarding forces to register cases along the international borders, the home minister said those who were making political issues out of it were supporters of the drug trade.


(With Agency Inputs)