The land of Punjab, once known for its prosperity and youth, is today facing such a scourge of drugs that the matter has reached the ‘wedding pavilion’. Aam Aadmi Party MP Malvinder Singh Kang’s proposal to make ‘dope test’ mandatory before marriage is actually the cry of every home in Punjab, where the life of a daughter married to a drug addict has become hell.
When Kang suggested to the Central Government that drug screening or ‘dope test’ be made mandatory before marriages, it was not just a political statement. It was a cry of pain from thousands of families in Punjab which have been ruined by the effects of drugs for decades. Kang has not confined this issue to papers only, but has boldly expressed this pain of Punjab in the country’s largest panchayat i.e. Parliament. His proposal points to the social crisis of Punjab, which we often ignore.
‘Dope test’ a shield against social fraud
Even today, marriages are often fixed in our society on the advice of middlemen or going by the outward appearances of a family. Drug addiction is often hidden. When the truth comes out after marriage, the daughter is left with the option of enduring either torture or a long legal battle for divorce. In such a situation, a government dope test report can bring transparency to the foundation of the relationship.
Countless homes in the villages and cities of Punjab have been destroyed by the scourge of drugs. This pain is evident not only in the statistics, but also in the court cases, police complaints and the sobs of mothers and daughters in the houses. Often, the conflict begins within a few days of marriage. By the time the truth about the drug addiction comes out, the foundation of the family has been shaken.
Parents sold their own child due to drug addiction
Many painful examples of this reality have come to light. In a case that came up in the Punjab & Haryana High Court, a young girl alleged that she was forcibly married to a drug addict which led to a life of torture and fear. In another incident in Mansa, drug addiction made the parents so helpless that they sold their own child. All these cases show that drug addiction is not just a personal problem, but a cause of social destruction.
In this background, Kang’s proposal becomes important. He has demanded that a dope test along with a medical fitness report be made mandatory for both the boy and the girl at the time of marriage registration. He believes this will bring transparency in relationships, reduce cheating and especially protect daughters from drug addicts.
No conditions before marriage have yet been implemented in India
The courts have also accepted that drugs are a major cause of family breakdown. The Chhattisgarh High Court has termed drug abuse as ‘mental cruelty’ in one of its decisions. Although such conditions for marriage have never been imposed in India before, there has been discussion in some states about making health tests mandatory. In states like Meghalaya and Goa, there has been discussion about making HIV or other health tests mandatory. Questions of privacy and ethics have often been an obstacle in implementing these proposals.
The problem of drugs is also becoming serious at the international level. According to UN reports, this trend is leading to social crimes and family breakdown. Yet no country has made dope testing legally mandatory for marriage. Most countries focus on treatment and awareness. This is why Kang’s proposal sparks a new debate- should we rely solely on treatment to prevent drug addiction or should we take drastic preventive measures at a crucial juncture like marriage?
A transparent process like dope testing can save many lives…
Ultimately, for Punjab, this is not just an ideological debate, but a real need. Where marriages are often arranged through intermediaries even today, a transparent process like dope testing can save many lives. It remains to be seen where this proposal ends up, but it is certain that the time has come for some drastic measures to tackle the meance.
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