Addressing concerns over rising drug seizures in Gujarat, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the state’s growing list of narcotics busts reflects enforcement success rather than failure, while acknowledging the persistent challenge posed by cross-border trafficking. Speaking at ABP Network’s Ideas of India Summit 2026, Sanghavi remarked that geography remains a critical factor in the fight against narcotics. “We cant change our neighbour that is Pakistan,” he said, referring to the continued inflow of drugs through coastal and border routes.
Responding to questions about Gujarat frequently making headlines over large drug hauls, Sanghavi said the visibility stems from proactive policing.
He stressed that repeated reports of seizures should be viewed as proof of enforcement agencies acting effectively. According to him, intelligence inputs — including those linked to cross-border networks — have enabled authorities to intercept consignments not only along Gujarat’s coastline but across multiple states.
“In 2021, anounced drug reward policy - we get intel from Pakistan acting on which drugs were nabbed from coastal border and not only from gujarat but from Punjab, West Bengal, Rajasthan and other states,” he said.
The 2021 reward policy, he noted, was introduced to incentivise actionable intelligence and strengthen coordination between agencies.
On the recent amendment to Gujarat’s marriage registration process, Harsh Rameshbhai Sanghavi said the move was aimed at protecting young people from fraud and coercion, not restricting lawful marriages. Clarifying the intent, Sanghavi said, “This is to protect Gen-Z.”
He explained that authorities had encountered cases where individuals allegedly forged identities or submitted fabricated documents to solemnise marriages. To plug such loopholes, the government introduced a provision mandating parental intimation before registration. Under the revised process, parents are given one month to raise objections, if any.
“We didn’t stop anyone from registration. We didn’t change the Act — we only corrected errors in its implementation,” he said. Sanghavi stressed that the measure is designed to prevent marriages conducted under false identities or forged documentation. At the same time, he added that the state would act firmly if parents are found coercing or forcing their daughters against their will. “If parents are found to be forcing their daughters, action will be taken against them,” he asserted.
Framing the amendment as a protective safeguard rather than a restrictive measure, Sanghavi maintained that the government’s objective is to ensure transparency and legal validity in marriage registrations while preventing misuse of the system.
Sanghavi also addressed questions about why he attended the World Economic Forum in Davos instead of the Chief Minister. He clarified that his participation was in line with administrative direction. “Followed the orders of CM,” he said, underscoring that the visit was undertaken as part of official responsibilities rather than personal initiative.
Born on January 8, 1985, Harsh Rameshbhai Sanghavi is a three-time MLA from the Majura Assembly constituency representing the Bharatiya Janata Party. He has held ministerial responsibilities with independent charge since September 2021 and assumed office as Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2025.
His remarks at the summit formed part of broader discussions on governance, internal security and economic resilience under the theme ‘The New World Order’. The Ideas of India Summit 2026 brings together policymakers, global thinkers and industry leaders to examine India’s trajectory toward 2047 and its evolving place in a shifting global landscape.
