By Jag Mohan Thaken
CHANDIGARH: Drug issue has boiled up the political and social atmosphere in the state of Punjab. Seeing the assembly elections on the head, all political parties are trying to get the waves in their own favour and targeting each other for the current deteriorated condition due to root level web of drug menace.
During his continuous second visit to Punjab within three weeks on Dussehra Day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated his claim that the BJP government will eradicate the drug menace up to December 31, 2029. Slamming the present Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ruling the state, Shah alleged that the chief minister Bhagwant Mann assumed power promising to eradicate drugs in 3 months; 5 years have passed, and the trade has only grown.
Shah said, “Under the AAP government, the ‘Chitta’ trade has reached every village in Punjab, and the state government has completely failed to stop it. I promise the people of Punjab – we will end the drug trade by 31 December 2029, and the Modi government will put drug smugglers behind bars.”
Union Home Minister further claimed that in the past 1 year, 929 people were arrested across the country under the NDPS Act but in Punjab, where the drug trade is the highest, not a single person was arrested. NCORD, formed to eradicate the drug problem, held 48 meetings across the country, but the Chief Minister of Punjab did not hold even one, showing neither intent nor seriousness.
Shah questioned how these drugs are reaching the youth of Punjab? It is impossible to run a drug trade on such a massive scale in Punjab without political patronage.
On the other hand, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) President Sardar Pargat Singh has questioned the BJP-led Central Government and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the growing drug trade across the country, the illegal sale of pharmaceutical drugs, and the destruction of the younger generation as a result of this menace.
He said that the BJP has been in power at the Centre for the past 13 years, with Amit Shah serving as the Union Home Minister. Under these circumstances, neither the Central Government nor the Home Minister can evade responsibility for the spread of the drug trade across Punjab and other states.
Speaking to the media on the occasion of Dussehra celebrations, Sardar Pargat Singh questioned — What concrete steps had the Central Government taken to curb this menace?
Cornering the Central Home Minister, Amit Shah, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab President and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora with his pointed questions on Drug Smuggling, Gujarat’s Heroin Seizures and Deteriorating Law & Order Across Country, asked –”Why has the Centre failed to stop drug smuggling across Punjab’s 543-km international border, how did heroin consignments of up to 3,000 kg reach Gujarat’s Mundra Port, why was the BJP silent on ‘Chitta’ and gangster culture during the 2007–2017 Akali Dal-BJP government, and why must Punjab face scrutiny while gangsters and law-and-order concerns persist in BJP-ruled Haryana, Maharashtra and Rajasthan?”
Addressing a press conference, Aman Arora said, “Punjab has a proud tradition of welcoming its guests with open arms, and we welcome Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to meet the families of victims. The Punjab government is ready to answer every question about its performance, but the Union government and the BJP must also answer to the people of Punjab for their own record over the last 12 years.”
The AAP Punjab President said, “Punjab shares a 543-kilometre international border with Pakistan, and the responsibility for guarding this border rests with the Border Security Force (BSF), which operates under the Union government. Despite this responsibility, drug consignments continue to enter the country. Union Home Minister Amit Shah must explain why the Centre has repeatedly failed to prevent drugs from being smuggled across the international border.”
“The Punjab government has strengthened the second line of defence by deploying anti-drone systems to counter cross-border smuggling. When the state is taking measures to prevent drugs from entering Punjab, the Centre must explain what steps it has taken to make the international border more secure and dismantle the networks operating across it,” he added.
“My second question to Union Home Minister Amit Shah concerns the massive heroin consignments seized at Gujarat’s Mundra Port. How did consignments involving up to 3,000 kilograms of heroin reach a port in Gujarat, a state governed by the BJP for years? What concrete action has the Union government taken against the networks responsible for bringing such huge quantities of drugs into India and distributing them across different states, including Punjab?” Aman Arora asked.
“My third question concerns the BJP’s own record during the SAD-BJP government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. The BJP remained part of the government throughout both terms, when the word ‘Chitta’ became widely associated with Punjab’s drug crisis. Why did the BJP fail to raise the alarm or take effective action when the drug problem and gangster culture were emerging in the state?” Aman Arora asked.
The AAP Punjab President further asked, “Why was the BJP silent then, and why is it shedding crocodile tears today? The BJP must explain to the people of Punjab what it did during its decade in power alongside the Shiromani Akali Dal. It cannot escape responsibility for the period when it shared power in Punjab and now selectively questions others.”
“My fourth question to Union Home Minister Amit Shah concerns law and order in BJP-ruled states, including Haryana, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Before making Punjab the sole focus of political criticism, the Home Minister must explain the situation in states governed by his own party,” Aman Arora said.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on October 20 launched a sharp attack on the BJP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, challenging them to answer for their failure to curb drug trafficking during their years in power instead of exploiting Punjab’s drug crisis and the grief of bereaved families for electoral gains.
Addressing the media on the unfortunate incidents that had taken place in Punjab in recent days, Mann said, “Union Home Minister Amit Shah is welcome to visit Punjab whenever he wants. But the BJP is propagating that it has come to save Punjab and make it drug-free. I have a few questions for the Home Minister. When your government was in power in partnership with the Akali Dal from 2007 to 2017, and the problem of drugs grew into a major crisis, with drugs arriving in quantities running into quintals, why were you not concerned about saving Punjab then? Why did you not take action?”
He said, “The border belt extending 50 kilometres is under the Border Security Force (BSF)’s control, and you are the Union Home Minister. Why have you not taken effective action to stop drugs coming from Pakistan? Why do you remember Punjab only when elections approach?”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he had held several meetings with the Union Home Minister and other authorities, urging them to install anti-drone systems along Punjab’s international border with Pakistan. “I have repeatedly requested you to install anti-drone systems along the 532-kilometre border with Pakistan. You have not allowed the necessary system to be installed. We installed our own system in coordination with the BSF, yet you did not take the required action,” he said
Addressing a press conference, AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu said, “The fight against drugs is not the battle of any one political party; it is a battle involving the entire society. Under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government has launched the ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign systematically to eradicate the drug network from its roots.”
Special DGP Law and Order Praveen Sinha, in a press release on October 20, claimed that meanwhile, Police teams have continued its drive against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” for 598th day with 138 drug smugglers arrested on today and recovered 389 grams heroin, 780 grams opium, 1277 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 10,650 drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 86,903 in just 598 days. As part of De-addiction, the Punjab Police has convinced 19 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.
The current seizure of drugs in other states indicates that the evil also has spread up there. A PIB Delhi release on 19 October, 2026 states – “In a significant crackdown on cross-border narcotics trafficking, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 591.3 kg Ganja (cannabis), in an intelligence-led operation conducted during 17–18 October 2026 in Uttar Pradesh. The operation exposed an elaborate concealment method involving specially fabricated cavities in a truck suspected to be transporting the contraband from Nepal.
Another PIB Delhi release of October 19,2026 states— “The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has intensified its crackdown on narcotics trafficking through coordinated, intelligence-led operations, resulting in the seizure of around 7.1 kg amphetamine in two operations and around 3.1 kg of cocaine in a third operation, leading to the arrest of three persons. The seizures were made at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru; near Nagpur; and Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), New Delhi.”
The Sirsa MP, Former Union Minister, General Secretary of All India Congress Committee and CWC Member Kumari Selja has expressed serious concern over rising drug addiction in Haryana and the poor condition of de-addiction centres, accusing the BJP government of making hollow claims about making the state drug-free. She said unemployment, growing drug addiction and inadequate treatment facilities were jeopardising the future of young people. Addiction was destroying families and adversely affecting the social environment and law and order, she added.
Questioning the BJP’s claims on tackling drugs, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann pointed to the drug problem in Rajasthan, the presence of gangsters in Haryana and the seizure of large consignments of narcotics originating from Gujarat. “Today, Rajasthan has the highest drug problem, while Haryana has become a nursery for gangsters. Drugs are coming from Gujarat. The Punjab Police has repeatedly seized consignments of around 3,000 kilograms each from the Kandla Port operated by your friend Adani. Why can you not stop drugs from entering the country at their source?” he asked.
Will attacking each other and not acting in consonance, neither the central government nor the state governments can curb the drug menace. Will they work on the same platform or continue alleging for their political gain setting aside the country’s welfare? (IPA Service)
