Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said the State would unite to prevent drug addiction and the “more dangerous addiction of communal politics” from entering the State.
Flagging off MDMK general secretary Vaiko’s Equality March in Tiruchi on Friday, Stalin said divisive forces were trying to pit people against one another by spreading hatred in the name of religion.
“For their personal ideology, they are trying to destroy the unity and peace of the country. Muslims, Christians, Dalits and backward communities are living in fear. Recent Christmas celebrations were attacked in several places. Was this the situation a few years ago?” he asked.
Stalin said drug abuse was no longer an individual problem and had become a serious social issue. He cautioned that glorification of drugs, especially through cinema and popular culture, would destroy an entire generation.
“Highlighting the ill-effects of drugs is necessary. But glorifying intoxication will ruin youngsters,” he said, adding that parents and teachers have a collective responsibility to guide children on the right path.
The Chief Minister said Tamil Nadu police, in coordination with central agencies, had seized narcotic substances worth over ₹1,000 crore in recent months. He said drug trafficking networks operate across several States including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Calling for coordinated action between the Centre and the States, Stalin said only joint efforts could dismantle the organised drug networks spreading across the country.
Speaking at the event, Vaiko said Tamil Nadu had long upheld equality and communal harmony and warned against “Sanatana forces” attempting to divide people on religious lines. He said the Equality March aimed to strengthen social justice and unity.
Vaiko described the 2026 Assembly elections as a fight for equality and said Dravidian and secular democratic forces would not allow communal politics to gain ground in Tamil Nadu.
Leaders from several parties and social organisations participated in the march.