Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central Government and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, questioning their failure to act against pharmaceutical drug manufacturers operating in BJP and Congress-ruled states despite repeated appeals from Punjab.
He said the Punjab Government was taking stringent action against drug traffickers, but the Centre continued to ignore the sources supplying synthetic and pharmaceutical drugs to Punjab. Harpal Singh Cheema asserted that the government led by CM Bhagwant Singh Mann would pursue the fight against drugs with full force and would not allow political considerations or administrative obstacles to weaken its resolve.
Addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader and Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, “The main sources of synthetic and pharmaceutical drugs flooding Punjab are in states governed by the BJP and Congress, yet the Central Government has failed to take decisive action against those manufacturing and supplying these substances. Punjab is fighting this menace on the ground, but the Centre is turning a blind eye to a serious threat to the lives of our youth.”
The senior AAP leader, “The most shocking fact is that no manufacturing of prescription medicines being misused as intoxicants is located in Punjab. These factories are operating in Haryana, Baddi in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The Centre must explain why it has failed to act against the sources of this supply chain.”
He pointed out, “Medicines such as Pregabalin, Gaba, Clomine, Tramadol, Zopiclone, Flu Practsol and Carisoprodols are being misused as intoxicants in Punjab, even though these medicines can only be obtained with a doctor’s prescription. The Punjab Government has repeatedly sought stronger legal provisions to stop this misuse, but the Centre has failed to provide any concrete response.”
“The Punjab Health Department sent letters to the Central Government on October 31, 2025, and September 21, 2026, seeking the inclusion of these medicines in the schedule of the NDPS Act. Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh also wrote to the Centre. Despite these repeated representations, the government has not taken any concrete steps. Why is the Centre unwilling to close this legal gap when the lives of our youth are at stake?” he asked.
The Cabinet Minister recalled when he was serving as Punjab’s Excise and Taxation Minister, he wrote two letters to the Central Government seeking stringent legislation to prevent the misuse of methyl alcohol, which is meant exclusively for industrial purposes. “Instead of providing an effective solution, Union Minister Piyush Goyal referred to outdated laws, including the Inflammable Substances Act of 1952, the Petroleum Act of 1934 and the Poisons Act of 1919. This is no way to address a serious public safety crisis,” he said.
“The deaths caused by methanol consumption in Sangrur and Majitha exposed the grave consequences of this failure. Investigations traced the supply of the chemical to Faridabad in Haryana. The Punjab Government acted immediately against the firms involved and sent those responsible to jail. Our government will not spare anyone who endangers human lives,” he asserted.
On Amit Shah’s visit to Punjab,Harpal Singh Cheema stated, “Union Home Minister Amit Shah is coming to Punjab, and he must answer some fundamental questions. The extension of the Border Security Force’s jurisdiction in Punjab to 55 kilometres during the Congress Government’s tenure from 2017 to 2022 was meant to strengthen efforts against cross-border smuggling. Yet drug trafficking remains a serious challenge. What concrete steps has the Central Government taken to stop drugs from entering Punjab across the international border?”
“The Punjab Government, under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, sought financial assistance from the Centre to strengthen the Punjab Police, but no financial support was provided. Punjab has had to build its own anti-drone system using its own resources to dismantle drug-trafficking modules operating through drones coming from Pakistan. Why must Punjab bear this financial burden alone when border security and the fight against cross-border smuggling demand effective coordination?” he said.
The Cabinet Minister pointed out, “Punjab is taking action against drug networks despite the lack of Central assistance. The Centre cannot continue to evade responsibility while the state government commits its resources and personnel to protecting the people of Punjab. Amit Shah must explain what his government has done to dismantle the supply chains operating beyond Punjab’s borders.”
The senior AAP leader affirmed, “The BJP Government pushed its black farm laws despite the sacrifices of farmers, but it has shown no comparable urgency in amending laws governing pharmaceutical drugs that could help save the lives of our youth. The Centre must stop treating Punjab’s drug crisis as a political opportunity and start taking concrete action against those manufacturing and supplying these substances.”
Harpal Singh Cheema pointed out, “The BJP wants to turn Punjab into a battleground for its political interests instead of cooperating with the state to dismantle drug networks. The people of Punjab need decisive action, stronger laws and accountability from the Centre, not political rhetoric. The Punjab Government will continue its uncompromising campaign against drugs under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.”
“Parvinder Singh Jhota stood up against the drug menace, and we stand firmly with his family. Following police action against the accused, the Punjab Government has decided to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in response to the family’s demand. We are committed to ensuring that the matter is pursued seriously and that the family’s concerns are addressed,” said Harpal Singh Cheema.
“Our fight against drug traffickers is a battle to finish. The Punjab Government will take every stringent step necessary to make Punjab drug-free. No political pressure, administrative obstacle or attempt to divert attention will stop our campaign against those destroying the lives of our youth,” he added.
