Speakers at a meeting organized on Sunday in Vijayawada on the occasion of Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs’ Day), celebrated annually on March 23, expressed concern over the rising drug use and the rise of the ganja mafia in the state. They called for immediate action to bring the culprits to book and eradicate the menace from society.
Tributes were paid to freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru who were executed by the British authorities on March 23, 1931 in Lahore Jail. Speakers urged the youth to draw inspiration from the lives of the three martyrs.
The participants pledged to eradicate social evils and called on various sections of society to help create a healthy society. The meeting was presided over by Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) State Secretary G. Ramanna and attended by former Indian Medical Association President G. Samaram, AP Bar Council member S. Rajendra Prasad, pediatrician Sai Prasad and representatives of various other organizations.
They said it was very worrying that ganja and other drugs were easily available to the youth and demanded effective measures to control their sale. They said that political will is the key to prevent such social evils and that all political parties should expel individuals involved in drug and ganja-related cases.
They also demanded that the government support the families of youth leader Penchalayya from Nellore district, who lost his life in the fight against drugs and gangja mafia.
Published – 22 March 2026 20:13 IST
