Mizoram's drug crisis: Opposition leader blames MNF government

Aizawl: Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Zodintluanga has joined the chorus of criticism against the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) government in Mizoram. Just days after ZPM leader Lalduhoma attributed Mizoram’s alarming AIDS rate and drug abuse numbers to the MNF leadership, Zodintluanga has now taken aim at the MNF government for the high number of drug users in the state.

Addressing the media, Zodintluanga expressed his concerns, highlighting that the MNF had promised to tackle drug rehabilitation during their election campaigns prior to the 2018 elections. However, with their term nearing its end, he asserted that the government had failed to take significant initiatives in this regard. Instead, he claimed that drug availability had not decreased but had, in fact, increased under the MNF’s administration.

Zodintluanga further pointed out the alarming statistics, citing the number of deaths related to substance abuse each year. He revealed that in 2019, 55 Mizo youths lost their lives due to drug use, followed by 67 in 2020, 47 in 2021, 43 in 2022, and up to September 2023, 47 more deaths have been recorded. These figures, he emphasized, total 259 youths who have tragically lost their lives over the past five years.

Expressing his deep concern, Zodintluanga posed critical questions, demanding accountability from the MNF government. He asked who should be held responsible for the deaths of these youths and the increasing addiction rates among the state’s youth. He also questioned whether, instead of curbing the drug supply, the government was complicit in the drug trade, using it for profit.

Additionally, Zodintluanga raised concerns about the MNF’s inability to explain the rising number of drug seizures. In 2022, a total of 152 kilograms of heroin were confiscated, and as of 2023, 150 kilograms have already been seized, leaving him perplexed about the government’s role in addressing this issue.

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