Srinagar, Jan 25: Mir Jafar, a youth from Anantnag whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised in his Mann ki Baat address for his efforts to rid his village of substance abuse, said it was the duty of every citizen to do something for the country.
Speaking to reporters at his residence in Sheikhgund village, Jafar thanked the Prime Minister for mentioning his work in the monthly radio programme Mann ki Baat.
“It is definitely a morale booster, and will inspire us to do better things,” he said.
Jafar said he was moved to take action as he saw youngsters falling prey to the drug menace, while many elders were suffering from cancer due to tobacco consumption.
“So, I decided to speak to the youth to wean them away from drug abuse. We also counselled the elders on the ill effects of tobacco consumption. By the grace of the Almighty, people listened to us, and we were able to make our village tobacco-free,” he said.
Jafar said the Prime Minister’s words of encouragement proved that good work does not go unnoticed.
“My appeal to youth is to use their knowledge and power to contribute to the betterment of the country,” he added.
Speaking during his monthly radio programme, Prime Minister Modi said, “When the strength of the family and the society is combined, we can overcome even the most insurmountable challenges. I have learnt about Sheikhgund village in Anantnag. Challenges related to drugs, tobacco, cigarettes and alcohol had increased significantly there…
“Seeing all this, Mir Jafar Ji, who hails from there, became so distressed that he resolved to address the problem. He united everyone in the village, from the youth to the elders. The impact was such that the shops there stopped selling tobacco products. This effort also increased public awareness about the dangers of drugs,” the Prime Minister said.
