Opposition slams DMK govt as ‘zero ganja’ claim faces scrutiny in TN

The ongoing political storm over ganja (cannabis) in Tamil Nadu shows no signs of abating. The recent claim made by the state’s Health Minister, Ma Subramanian, of achieving “zero ganja cultivation” and establishing a “drug-free state” under the DMK government, has drawn a fierce backlash from Opposition parties and activists, as recent incidents suggest otherwise.

A high-ranking officer of Tamil Nadu Police told The Federal that ganja cultivation in the state has been negligible for generations.

“Large-scale ganja farming is not done in Tamil Nadu. The state police eradicated it around the 1990s,” the officer stated, questioning why the current DMK minister is claiming credit for an achievement predating MK Stalin's ascent as the chief minister in 2021.

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Official data back this. Tamil Nadu has maintained the “zero cultivation” status through sustained enforcement, with sporadic small-scale attempts eliminated quickly. Between May 2021 and March 2025, the police seized over 1 lakh kg of ganja, almost entirely smuggled from forests in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Telangana.

KeyTransit route

According to police reports, Tamil Nadu also serves as a transit route for high-grade ganja destined for Sri Lanka via sea routes, but several such smuggling attempts have been foiled.

In 2024, while ganja seizures slightly declined (down to 21,424 kg, from 23,364 kg in 2023), the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) cases rose to 11,025, reflecting intensified enforcement against diverse drugs, including synthetic substances and diverted pharmaceuticals.

Subramanian has repeatedly highlighted the DMK's initiatives on the matter, including bans on products such as pan masala and the establishment of anti-drug clubs in schools. He has challenged the Opposition to pinpoint sales spots for swift action.

Police officers, including former Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal, cite national surveys signalling low drug prevalence in Tamil Nadu (0.1 per cent of ganja use, ranking 35th nationally) along with high conviction rates (up to 88 per cent).

Also read: Deadly narcotic tablets overtake ganja as choice drug of TN youth

In 2025, innovative forms, such as ganja-infused chocolates targeting students, were seized. Under NDPS financial probes, properties worth crores were frozen.

However, Opposition voices dismiss "zero cultivation" as a distraction.

'Barbaric situation'

Pattali Makkal Katchi leader Anbumani Ramadoss has accused the DMK of encouraging the ganja culture since 2021. He cited the recent case in Tiruttani, where four 17-year-old minors, allegedly under ganja influence, assaulted a migrant worker with sickles, filming it for social media.

“School-age children wielding machetes instead of books — this is the DMK's failure,” the former Union Health Minister said.

AIADMK chief and state Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami called it a “barbaric situation”, linking rising youth violence to unchecked drugs.

K Annamalai, former state president of the BJP, accused the DMK of turning Tamil Nadu into a “drunkard state” with open ganja sales near schools.

Actor-turned-politician Vijay, whose Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam will make its electoral debut in the 2026 state elections, urged stern action against the “cruel drug culture”.

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TTV Dhinakaran, general secretary of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), meanwhile, brushed aside the DMK government's recent drug seizures, such as 2,300 kg in Chennai and 102 kg in Thiruvallur. Subramanian is covering up a major problem with these announcements, he claimed.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, who reacted strongly after the recent attack on the migrant worker, has called for iron-fisted crackdowns.

Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of Arappor Iyakkam, a people’s movement that works towards building a just and equitable society, alleged easy access to drugs in urban housing and accused the police of taking little action on complaints. Addiction is ruining the youth, he has said.

Drug culture: A menace

Recent busts, including pre-New Year arrests, suggest that the drug culture has penetrated deep into student hostels, parties, and migrant communities.

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The state Opposition leaders point to police actions as evidence that local cultivation persists, albeit on a minor scale. Earlier this month, a three-foot-tall ganja plant was spotted on the premises of Stanley Government Hospital in Chennai, under the state health department’s oversight. Hospital authorities reported a persistent smell leading to the discovery, and an investigation is ongoing.

On December 20, arrests were made in Red Hills, Chennai, for indoor cultivation.

On November 28, a farmer was arrested near Gudiyatham in Vellore district for cultivating tall ganja plants in his farmland, claiming medicinal use. On November 13, two persons were arrested in Chennai’s Kodungaiyur area for growing ganja plants.

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On September 19 and August 14, one person each was arrested in Arakkonam and Marthandam for growing ganja at home.

Arrests were made in preceding years in Kodaikkanal (May 2022), Coimbatore (2021-2022), and Kaaveripattinam (April 2022).

While ganja remains dominant, 2024-2025 saw pharmaceutical tablet seizures explode (from 40,000 to over 141,000), signaling a shift to harder, concealed drugs.

Police operations such as Ganja Vettai (Cannabis Hunt) destroyed thousands of kilograms of the drug, but critics argue street-level peddling persists unchecked.

As 2025 closes with fresh seizures (for example, a massive 564-kg single haul in Ramanathapuram at December end), widespread scepticism on the government’s success claims against the menace persists.