Gandhinagar:More than 550 personnel and officers from 45 teams representing states, Union territories and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) set off from the Gujarat secretariat on a national motorcycle rally against drug abuse on Sunday. Chief minister Bhupendra Patel flagged off the rally, which will culminate at Ekta Nagar near the Statue of Unity, ahead of the Rashtriya Ekta Divas parade on October 31.Organized by the Union home ministry under the theme ‘Fight Against Drugs’, the rally features more than 275 motorcycles and participants travelling through four zones. Teams from Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, among other regions, are participating.Gujarat police chief GS Malik said the rally aims to raise awareness about drug abuse, particularly among young people. Awareness drives and pledge-taking programmes are being held at various locations along the route to encourage citizens to stay away from narcotics.The bikers will travel from Gandhinagar through Anand and Vadodara before reaching Ekta Nagar, where they will join the national unity day parade marking the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on October 31.An official statement said Union home minister Amit Shah had flagged off the north zone contingent from New Delhi on October 21. The team travelled through Haryana and Rajasthan before reaching Gandhinagar. The campaign carries the message: “Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Life.” Senior police officers and personnel attended the flag-off ceremony at the secretariat, the statement added.
