Sabarmati Central Jail Hosts Anti-Drug Awareness Seminar Under ‘Nasha Mukti Abhiyan’

AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT — In alignment with the Government of India’s nationwide “Nasha Mukti Abhiyan” (Anti-Drug Campaign), a major awareness seminar was successfully organized at the Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad on August 2. The initiative focused on the rehabilitation, moral upliftment, and mental well-being of prison inmates.

The event was conducted by the Sufi Islamic Board—an official partner of MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat) under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India—in collaboration with the Sabarmati Jail Administration and the Gujarat Prison Department. This seminar forms a core part of an ongoing series of anti-drug awareness drives being rolled out across correctional facilities throughout Gujarat.

Key Objectives and Outcomes

The seminar aimed to inspire inmates to embrace a drug-free lifestyle and provide a clear roadmap for their successful reintegration into mainstream society. Core discussions focused on:

• Health and Social Awareness: Educating inmates on the severe physical, psychological, social, and legal consequences of substance abuse.

• Rehabilitation and Moral Values: Instilling responsible citizenship and ethics to help prisoners lead crime-free lives following their release.

• Collective Pledge: The event culminated in a unified pledge taken by all participating inmates to permanently renounce substance abuse.

Key Dignitaries in Attendance

The event saw active participation from prominent figures across law enforcement, the judiciary, media, and civil society:

• Mr. Ravindra Upadhyay, Superintendent, Gujarat Customs

• Mr. Gaurav Agarwal, Jail Superintendent, Sabarmati Central Jail

• Mr. Devang Bhatt, Channel Head, GTPL

• Mr. Deepak Joshi, Advocate, Gujarat High Court

• Mr. Mansoor Khan, National President, Sufi Islamic Board

• Mr. Anwar Hussain Shaikh, National Vice President, Sufi Islamic Board & Advocate, Gujarat High Court

• Mrs. Aman Shaikh, Panel Advocate, Gujarat High Court Legal Services

Senior officers and staff members of the Sabarmati Jail Department were also present to support the drive.

Call to Action

Addressing the gathering, Advocate Anwar Hussain Shaikh, National Vice President of the Sufi Islamic Board, emphasized the collective duty required to eradicate substance abuse from society.

“Building a drug-free India is not solely the responsibility of the government; it is a shared duty of society as a whole. Through these awareness initiatives within correctional facilities, our goal is to help inmates move past their former mistakes, guiding them toward a positive and purposeful life,” Shaikh stated.

The seminar concluded with joint encouraging remarks from the prison administration and representatives of the Sufi Islamic Board, urging inmates to contribute constructively to society upon completing their sentences.