This story is from September 16, 2020

Ganja cultivation common at Bangla camps of Raichur

Ganja cultivation common at Bangla camps of Raichur
Belagavi: Cultivation and selling of cannabis at four Bangladesh refugee camps are rampant even as the Namasudra community culturally consider marijuana a sacred plant. The camps — RH 2, RH3, RH 4 and RH 5 — are tucked in the remote corners of Sindhanur taluk in Raichur district.
Last year, the police department had seized over 500kg of cannabis from the camps, while its cultivation has come down drastically this year.
The refugees grow these plants amidst tur, cotton and chilli crops on land that was granted to them when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister. The settlers came to Raichur in 1971 after East Pakistan was carved to form the new state Bangladesh as they were undergoing persecution. The settlers were given citizenship in 1979, after which it was stopped. However now, all those in the camps are entitled to secure citizenship after the Citizenship Act was amended.
According to activist Prasen Raptana, people in these rehabilitation camps smoke ganja. Raptana, who is also fighting for the rights of refugees with regard to caste, citizenship and land, said: “Those who consume marijuana grow one or two plants, and it is widely common here. But now I have come to know that some are into selling it. Police are now conducting raids as part of a statewide crackdown on drugs.”
Prasen further pointed out that people offer ganja to Lord Shiva during Trinath puja at their homes. The weed is offered only to god, and not for consumption.
Pranab Bala, an advocate and RSS activist from the camp, said last year he himself tipped off police about ganja cultivation, and the subsequent raid led to the seizure of a large consignment of the weed. “People here have been growing cannabis for several years now. But it is coming down due to awareness. It will be difficult to launch a campaign against ganja at camps as it leads to conflict within the community,” he said.
Raichur SP Prakash Nityam told TOI that 600gram ganja was recovered recently. Thanks to police vigil, its cultivation has come down compared to last year. “As and when we receive information, we crackdown on this illegal natural drug,” he said, adding that cannabis crop look similar to tur, cotton and chilli, and the camouflage makes it difficult to spot the illegal crop amidst others.
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