Gujarat Dy CM links rising seizures to enforcement success, defends marriage registration changes
February 27, 2026: Addressing concerns over rising drug seizures in Gujarat, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said frequent narcotics busts reflect strong enforcement rather than administrative failure. Speaking at the Ideas of India Summit 2026, he pointed to cross-border trafficking routes and remarked that geography remains a major challenge, citing Pakistan as a continuing source of inflow. Sanghavi said Gujarat makes headlines because agencies are actively intercepting consignments, crediting intelligence inputs and the 2021 drug reward policy for enabling coordinated crackdowns across coastal areas and states such as Punjab, West Bengal and Rajasthan.
Defending the recent amendment to Gujarat’s marriage registration process, Sanghavi said the move aims to protect young people from fraud and coercion. He clarified that the provision requiring parental intimation offers a one-month window for objections but does not prohibit lawful marriages. According to him, authorities had found cases involving forged identities and fabricated documents. “We didn’t stop anyone from registration. We only corrected errors in implementation,” he said, adding that strict action would also be taken against parents found forcing their daughters into marriage.
Sanghavi also responded to questions about attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, stating that he did so under the Chief Minister’s direction as part of official duties. Born in 1985 and a three-time MLA from Majura, the young BJP leader said his focus remains on governance, internal security and economic resilience. His remarks at the summit were part of wider discussions on India’s evolving role in the global order.