Civil Society asks political parties to include social reformation measures in their manifesto

Srinagar, Sep 04: Jammu & Kashmiri Civil Society Forum Wednesday asked all those political parties who are going to fight elections in J&K to include eradication of drug menace and social reformation n their election manifesto besides the other aspects.

In a statement issued here, Chairman JKCSF and former trade union leader Abdul Qayoom Wani said that drug addiction has badly crept in the Kashmir Society and was eating up its fabric unnoticeably.

He said J&K Civil Society Forum has been on forefront against the drug addiction since its inception and today when people of different political shades have come forward to fight assembly elections and claim to give better representations to people in development and prosperity, JKCSF believes that a society can’t be prosperous unless it is cleaned from menace of drugs and other social evils.

Wani expressed concern over the situation that not a single political party has so for included eradication of narcotic drugs and social evils from the society that is killing the future and lives of the youth in particular in their manifesto.

"Talking of civic amenities like power, water and roads is good but there are new challenges faced by the society, amongst which the drug menace, social evils and social reformation is listing the number one. If a political party or a politician gives patronage to a drug dealer or an addict, and people with criminal background he is equally responsible for the devastation of this society, and claims of such politicians, for example, for development and prosperity keep no meaning" Wani wowed.

JKCSF vehemently urged upon all political parties and aspirant candidates to focus on the drug menace in their campaigns and to shunt-out drug peddlers, drug addicts, and people with criminal background if any, from their parties and patronage in the broad-day light announcements. This will help eradicating the menace in J&K, it said.