Amit Shah Must Answer Why BJP Failed To Act Against Drug Traffickers During Their Tenure; Punjab Remembers Its Treatment Of Farmers: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann
*I Appeal To Union Home Minister Amit Shah Not To Play Politics Over Dead Bodies; Meet Grieving Families To Share Their Grief, Not For ‘Vote Ki Rajneeti’: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*
*If Amit Shah Is Serious About Drug-Free Punjab, He Must Stop Drugs At Their Source, Seal Borders & Act Against Trafficking Networks: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*
*Why Did Amit Shah Not Visit Families Of Over 700 Farmers Who Died During Farmers’ Protest? CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*
*Why Was No Action Taken When Names Of Major Drug Traffickers & Ministers Came To Light? CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*
*Amit Shah Must Explain Why 2,200 Kg Heroin Was ‘Eaten By Rats’ In Gujarat: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*
*Before Lecturing Punjab On Law & Order, Amit Shah Must Answer For Firing On Bollywood Actor In Mumbai & Gangster Links To BJP-Ruled Haryana & Rajasthan: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*
*BJP Remembers Punjab Only During Elections; Remains Silent When State’s Rights Are Snatched: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*
*Punjab Govt Stands Firmly With Parvinder Singh Jhota’s Family; No Effort Will Be Spared To Ensure Justice: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*
*Yudh Nashean Virudh Will Continue With Greater Force; BJP Must Strengthen NDPS Law Instead Of Playing Cheap Politics: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*
CHANDIGARH; 20th October 2026 (WISHAVWARTA):- Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday 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. He questioned the Centre’s failure to stop narcotics at their source, secure the borders and act against trafficking networks, demanded answers over the 2,200 kg heroin in Gujarat reportedly explained away as having been eaten by rats, and pointed to gangster links spanning BJP-ruled Haryana and Rajasthan amid the firing incident involving a Bollywood actor in Mumbai.
Urging Amit Shah to meet grieving families with genuine sympathy rather than political motives, the Chief Minister reaffirmed that the Punjab Government stood firmly with Parvinder Singh Jhota’s family and would intensify Yudh Nashean Virudh, while calling on the Centre to strengthen the NDPS law and fulfil its responsibility to dismantle drug networks instead of indulging in what he termed cheap politics.
Addressing the media on the unfortunate incidents that had taken place in Punjab in recent days, CM Bhagwant Singh 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?”
The Chief Minister said that demands for a CBI investigation into then minister Bikram Singh Majithia had repeatedly been raised even during that period, but no such investigation was ordered because the Akali Dal was the BJP’s alliance partner.
He further questioned why the BJP-led government at the Centre had failed to act when major drug traffickers allegedly named influential ministers and political figures. “Your government came to power at the Centre in 2014. Even after that, the drug trade continued, and major drug traffickers named powerful ministers. Why did you not take action then? Why did you not make efforts to save Punjab from drugs at that time?” he asked.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann also reminded the Union Home Minister of the farmers’ prolonged protest against the Centre’s three farm laws at Delhi’s borders, during which more than 700 farmers lost their lives. “When farmers sat in protest at Delhi’s borders for one-and-a-half years against your black laws, more than 700 farmers died and attained martyrdom. Why did you not even try to visit their homes? Why did you not make an effort to express sympathy with their families? The Punjab Government provided ₹5 lakh in compensation and government jobs to the families of all those farmers,” he said.
He added that the BJP could not erase from the memory of Punjab’s people the hardships inflicted on farmers during the agitation.
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.
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.
He said that the Centre must fulfil its responsibility of securing the country’s borders and preventing narcotics from entering India rather than using Punjab’s drug problem for political purposes.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann questioned the BJP’s claims on law and order by referring to the recent firing incident involving a film actor in Mumbai and the reported links of those apprehended to Kota in Rajasthan and Kurukshetra in Haryana. “A firing incident took place openly in Mumbai involving a film actor. From where were the people arrested in connection with it apprehended? From Kota. Where were their links traced? To Kurukshetra in Haryana. And where is Kota? In Rajasthan. Who is in power in Haryana and Rajasthan? The BJP. You come to Punjab and talk about law and order, but what is happening in the states ruled by your own party?” he asked.
He pointed out, “The BJP is unable to win the confidence of Punjab’s people, and that is why it keeps looking for one pretext or another to defame the Bhagwant Mann government. We have already recommended a CBI investigation. Let the investigation take place. We do not protect anyone.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann pointed out that the BJP was protecting gangster networks and asked the Union Home Minister to explain why people who had claimed responsibility for major murders were lodged in prisons in Gujarat, including Sabarmati, and in Tihar Jail. “You talk about action against gangsters, but where are those who have taken responsibility for major murders lodged? They are in Sabarmati Jail and other prisons in Gujarat, as well as Tihar Jail. Under whose jurisdiction do these prisons fall? They fall under your government. Before coming to Punjab, you should examine your own record and put your own house in order,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the BJP’s sudden concern for Punjab is politically motivated and contrasted its present statements with its record on issues concerning the state’s rights. “When you talk about taking Chandigarh away from Punjab, where is your concern for Punjab then? When you talk about taking control of the syndicate of the university in Chandigarh away from Punjab, where is your concern then? When you talk about giving Punjab’s water to Rajasthan and Haryana, where is your concern for Punjab? When Punjab’s representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) is reduced and chairpersons are appointed from Delhi, where is your concern for Punjab?” he asked.
He said, “Now that elections are approaching, you have suddenly become concerned about Punjab. The people understand everything. The people of Punjab are very wise. They have not forgotten the injustices committed against them, particularly the treatment meted out to farmers. Perhaps you are now trying to take revenge on Punjab for standing up against those injustices.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann welcomed Amit Shah’s visit but urged him to meet the families affected by recent incidents and share their grief instead of attempting to politicise their suffering. “Meet them, but at least do not indulge in this kind of politics. You claim to have come to save Punjab, but you have rarely shown concern for the state when its rights were at stake,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjab had faced numerous difficult periods in its history but had repeatedly risen again through the resilience and courage of its people. “Punjab has fallen many times, but it has risen again every time. What if autumn has arrived? Keep faith in the next season. I will find saplings from somewhere; you keep the soil ready for flowers,” he said, reciting lines to underline Punjab’s determination to overcome adversity.
He said, “Punjabis have always fought against oppression. The Punjab Government has launched a comprehensive campaign, Yudh Nashean Virudh, against drugs. We will not step back from it.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “We stand with Parvinder Singh Jhota’s family, and we will continue to stand with them. Whatever needs to be done to separate truth from falsehood and establish the facts will be done. The government will stand with the family.”
He cautioned the Union Home Minister against attempting to provoke people or emotionally exploit a sensitive situation for political gain. “Please do not come here and try to provoke people or emotionally blackmail them, Union Home Minister. Do the work entrusted to you by the people. Seal our borders and ensure raids and effective action at the ports in Gujarat. The Punjab Police has seized consignments of around 3,000 kilograms, but what about the drugs that managed to pass through without being detected?” he asked.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann also referred to reports concerning 2,200 kilograms of heroin in Gujarat, questioning the explanation that the seized narcotics had been eaten by rats. “The Gujarat Police and the Gujarat Home Department said that 2,200 kilograms of heroin had been eaten by rats. Rats ate it! What does that mean? It means that the drugs were misappropriated or disposed of without a satisfactory explanation. Those drugs must have reached somewhere in the country. They could have gone to Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Mumbai or Punjab. The Centre must explain what happened to them,” he said.
He criticised the BJP’s tendency to praise its own performance without addressing these questions, saying that the party could not expect people to accept its claims without accountability.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the people of Punjab were fully aware of the situation and would not be misled by political rhetoric.
Reaffirming his government’s commitment to eliminating drugs, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Yudh Nashean Virudh would continue and be strengthened further. “I want to reiterate that Yudh Nashean Virudh will continue. We will intensify the campaign and make even greater efforts to ensure its success. Thousands of traffickers have been arrested. Properties belonging to them have been seized, and houses and other illegal properties have been demolished wherever action was warranted,” he said.
He said the state government had taken action against drug traffickers and their assets as part of its effort to dismantle the financial and operational networks sustaining the drug trade.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann urged the Union Government to amend and strengthen the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. “People from villages identify and hand over drug traffickers to the police, but the traffickers sometimes get bail from the police station itself. By the time the villagers return home, the trafficker has already reached the village. The law is so weak that those involved in this trade are able to return quickly. Make the law stricter,” he said.
He said that the Centre must focus on the responsibilities that fell within its jurisdiction, including securing the international borders, stopping narcotics at their source, acting against trafficking networks and strengthening the legal framework to ensure that drug traffickers faced effective consequences. “Do the work that needs to be done. Stop indulging in this kind of cheap politics. Punjab is determined to fight drugs, and the Punjab Government will continue to act firmly against those destroying the lives of its people,” affirmed CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
