Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Punjab Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance and the Congress, accusing them of contributing to the state's drug and gangster problems during their respective tenures.
He said the Bhagwant Mann-led government was waging a decisive battle against drugs and organised crime, while the BJP was politicising the issue instead of addressing drug-related deaths in states governed by the party.
Addressing a press conference, Cheema alleged that the SAD-BJP government, which ruled Punjab from 2007 to 2017, had allowed white drugs, other narcotics and gangsterism to flourish in the state.
He also accused the Congress government, which came to power in 2017 promising action against drugs, of failing to fulfil its commitment during its five-year tenure.
“Both parties, along with the Congress, left no stone unturned in harming Punjab,” Cheema alleged.
AAP Government's Crackdown on Gangsters
Cheema said the AAP government had taken sustained action against drug traffickers and gangsters since assuming office in 2022. He said the government established an Anti-Gangster Task Force, conducted extensive raids, arrested criminals involved in serious offences and recovered illegal weapons.
He added that law enforcement agencies had also worked to bring back criminals who had fled abroad to evade the law.
According to figures cited by Cheema, operations against gangsters and criminals had resulted in the arrest of 2,105 proclaimed offenders (POs), while 81,499 people had been arrested in connection with crime-related operations.
Nearly 90,000 Arrests in Drug Cases
The minister said the Punjab government had launched the ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign to combat drug trafficking and strengthen enforcement along the state's borders, including through the installation of anti-drone systems.
“Since March 31, 2025, a total of 68,545 cases related to drugs have been registered in the state, and nearly 90,000 accused have been arrested,” Cheema said.
He further claimed that enforcement agencies had seized approximately 450 kg of heroin, drug money worth more than ₹23 crore, over 67 lakh narcotic capsules, around 4,200 injections and 84 kg of narcotic powder.
These seizures demonstrated the scale of the campaign being undertaken to dismantle drug networks and prevent narcotics from reaching Punjab's youth, he said.
Cheema Cites Drug-Use Trends in Other States
Targeting the BJP over its record in states governed by the party, Cheema referred to a newspaper report published on October 25, which, he claimed, showed a 5.5% decline in drug use in Punjab.
In contrast, he said, the report indicated increases of 28% in Delhi, 18% in Uttar Pradesh, 42% in Haryana and 51% in Madhya Pradesh.
Cheema maintained that the figures were based on data from the Government of India and had not been prepared by the AAP government.
He also referred to an alleged statement by Bihar Director General of Police Kundan Krishnan, suggesting that other states should learn from Punjab's efforts to combat drugs.
Questions BJP's Record in Gujarat
Taking a swipe at the BJP's long tenure in Gujarat, Cheema said the party had governed the state for more than 30 years, yet Gujarat had emerged as a significant route for drugs entering and moving across the country.
“How can the BJP claim credibility in tackling the drug problem while continuing to politicise the issue in Punjab?” he asked.
Cheema asserted that Punjab was fighting to protect its younger generation from the devastating effects of narcotics and that the AAP government remained committed to eliminating drugs from the state.
He said the government would continue taking action against drug peddlers, gangsters and those involved in organised crime.
