The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Youth Wing on Saturday announced a statewide protest across Tamil Nadu to condemn what it called the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government’s failure to curb the rising problem of drug abuse among the youth. The demonstrations began on 21 February, with BJP youth leaders and cadres taking to streets in various districts to demand urgent action from the state administration.
In Chennai, the protest was led by S G Suryah, President of the BJP Tamil Nadu Youth Wing, who addressed party workers and supporters at a public rally. Speaking at the event, he criticised the DMK government for what he described as a lack of effective measures to tackle drug and narcotics spread, warning that the state’s younger generation was being put at risk due to lax governance.
Party officials also said that other youth wings from National Democratic Alliance (NDA) member parties, including the AIADMK, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) and Trinamool Congress (TMC), joined the protests in solidarity, underscoring broader concerns about drug abuse and public safety in the state.
The BJP has in recent weeks repeatedly accused the ruling DMK of not doing enough to stop the spread of addictive substances and control illegal drug distribution across Tamil Nadu. Party leaders argue that the issue has worsened and needs stronger enforcement and preventive policies to safeguard youth.
The DMK government, however, has maintained that it is working towards addressing public safety concerns, including substance abuse, and has pointed to ongoing efforts to manage social problems in the state.
The protests come amid growing political tensions in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, with opposition parties increasingly focusing on law and order and youth issues to challenge the incumbent government’s record.
