Kerala legal professionals marketing campaign towards drug abuse in faculties throughout pan-India highway journey

When Binu Varghese and Nijas Thamarasserry, legal professionals on the Kerala High Court, deliberate a highway journey this 12 months, they didn’t need it to be simply one other drive throughout the nation. “We wished it to imply one thing — for us and for society,” says 58-year-old Binu over a cellphone name from Meghalaya, the place they’re presently travelling.

They name their journey the ‘Bharath Darshan Yatra – Phase 2’. In the primary leg final 12 months, they drove to Ladakh and again in 24 days masking 9,145 kilometres. This time, their mission is fuelled by a rising concern: the rise of drug abuse, particularly amongst college and school college students.

“Since January, Kerala has seen a surge in drug-related instances — throughout information and social media. The crimes are horrifying. And throughout our travels, which started on March 2, we realised it is a pan-India concern. Teachers and guardians in all places are anxious,” Binu explains.

Their highway journey has doubled as an consciousness marketing campaign, the place they conduct interactive classes in faculties, schools and any public occasions they got here throughout whereas on the highway, highlighting the hazards of substance abuse. “We inform college students that journey is an obsession price having — one thing that brings actual, enriching experiences. They don’t want to hunt harmful highs like medication,” Binu says.

The duo speaks to college students about how medication can derail lecturers, relationships, and long-term targets. “We urge them to remain alert and report any identified instances of drug use to their lecturers,” provides Nijas.

As legal professionals who typically deal with drug-related instances — principally involving MDMA in Kerala — they’ve seen first-hand the injury it causes. “Turns out it’s not only a Kerala downside. It’s in all places,” says Nijas.

Their marketing campaign has obtained enthusiastic help from academic establishments. They approached some college immediately and the others by native contacts. They obtained an enthusiastic response wherever they went. “At one college in West Bengal, we spoke to 100 college students, and the administration instantly requested us to handle one other class,” Nijas shares.

Depending on the area, they’ve performed classes in Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, and English, with translators supplied the place wanted. Their route to date has taken them by Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, and Meghalaya. They plan to cowl the remainder of the Northeast — Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Mizoram — earlier than heading to Sikkim, Nepal, and Bhutan.

In each state, they inform college students and educators in regards to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which has zonal places of work throughout India, and share helpline numbers and the NCB pledge to encourage reporting. “Many don’t even know these assets exist,” Binu says.

Both Binu (from Thrissur) and Nijas (from Kozhikode) are classmates from Karnataka State Law University, Bengaluru. Binu, a teetotaller, even has a signboard exterior his dwelling that forbids alcohol, medication, and weapons. “People laughed at me as soon as, however take a look at the place we at the moment are,” he remarks.

They are travelling in Binu’s jeep, sleeping both within the car or at petrol pumps, and plan to remain on the highway for an additional month.

Asked why they selected to show a possible vacation right into a demanding marketing campaign, they are saying: “It’s our social duty as legal professionals. There’s nothing in it for us — however we consider in contributing meaningfully. If we don’t act now, drug abuse will turn into an epidemic.”