After Himanta spoils ‘Udta Assam Party’, Manipur CM voices support

In a show of solidarity, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh expressed his support for Assam’s fight against

illegal opium poppy cultivation

, following a significant operation by Assam Police. The destruction of 170 bighas (over 56 acres) of poppy plantations in Goalpara was reported in January, with an estimated value of over Rs 27 crore.
Assam’s strong stand against drug cultivation
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to X on Sunday, uploading a video of the operation, which saw a tractor racing across the poppy fields with heavy police presence.

Sarma issued a stern warning to local drug lords, referencing infamous Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar: “Dear Local Pablo Escobars, sorry to spoil your planned Udta Assam party,” he wrote, adding that the poppy crops were destroyed by Goalpara Police.
Sarma’s post also invoked the 2016 Bollywood film Udta Punjab, which tackled drug addiction.

Manipur responds in unity
In a supportive message, Manipur CM N Biren Singh expressed his appreciation for the strong actions taken by Assam against the poppy trade. “We stand together in our shared goal of building a future free from the shadow of drugs,” Singh wrote. He also noted that Manipur had destroyed over 25 acres of illegal poppy plantations in Tengnoupal subdivision’s Khudei Khullen hill range, with a first information report (FIR) filed today.

Tensions in Manipur amid drug crackdown
Manipur has been grappling with ethnic violence between the Meitei community and Kuki tribes since May 2023. While the Kuki tribes accuse the government of unfairly targeting hill farmers, the Manipur government asserts that the crackdown is not aimed at any specific community.
In a separate incident, a mob of around 80 people from the Kuki tribes clashed with security forces in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district as they attempted to destroy illegal opium cultivation. The mob damaged several vehicles, and an FIR has been filed.
The coordinated efforts between Assam and Manipur leaders mark a significant push against illegal drug operations in the northeast, as both states work towards a drug-free future for their youth.