In a controversial statement, Karnataka's Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Thursday blamed Africans for the growing problem of drug addiction in the state.
Addressing the state legislative council, the minister said that the cities of Mangaluru and Bengaluru had registered the most drug related cases in 2016, at 239 and 128 respectively. "The issue of illegal drugs consumption is quite serious. Over the last few years drug peddling has grown by a large majority due to more number of African nationals coming to the state and entering the illegal trade," Parameshwara said in response to a question raised by a member of the council.
He added that drug dealers were primarily targeting educational hubs and that the government was considering strict measures to tackle the menace.
Addressing the increasing trend of drugs being procured through online channels, Parameshwara said that the cyber cell of the police department was tackling the problem.
Earlier this year, Parameshwara was widely criticised after he said that incidents of molestation usually occur on Christmas and New Year's eve.
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