Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema claims drug use has declined by 5.5% in Punjab while targeting SAD-BJP and Congress over the state’s drug crisis.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has launched a sharp attack on the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), BJP and Congress over the drug problem in the state. He claimed that drug use in Punjab had declined by 5.5%, while several BJP-ruled states had recorded a rise in drug consumption. Accusing previous governments of failing to control narcotics and organised crime, Cheema said the Bhagwant Mann-led government was taking sustained action against drug traffickers and gangsters.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, the senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader alleged that the SAD-BJP government, which ruled Punjab from 2007 to 2017, allowed narcotics and gangsterism to spread. He also criticised the Congress government, which came to power in 2017 with a promise to eliminate drugs, claiming that it failed to deliver on its commitment during its five-year tenure.
Cheema said both political formations had caused significant damage to Punjab and questioned their criticism of the current government’s anti-drug campaign. Harpal Singh Cheema on drug use in Punjab said the state was now witnessing a determined effort to dismantle drug networks and protect its younger generation.
AAP Government’s Action Against Gangsters
Highlighting the Punjab government’s law enforcement measures, Cheema said an Anti-Gangster Task Force was established after the AAP came to power in 2022. He said police teams had conducted extensive raids, arrested criminals involved in serious offences and recovered illegal weapons.
According to figures shared by the minister, 2,105 proclaimed offenders have been arrested during operations against gangsters and criminals. He also claimed that 81,499 people had been arrested in connection with crime-related operations.
Cheema added that the government had taken steps to bring back criminals who had escaped abroad to avoid legal action. He maintained that the campaign against organised crime was being pursued alongside efforts to curb drug trafficking.
Nearly 90,000 Arrests in Punjab Drug Crackdown
The finance minister said the state government had launched the ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign to strengthen its fight against drug trafficking. He added that enforcement had been intensified along Punjab’s borders, including through the installation of anti-drone systems.
Sharing the figures, Cheema said that since March 31, 2025, a total of 68,545 drug-related cases had been registered in Punjab, with nearly 90,000 accused arrested.
He further claimed that enforcement agencies had seized approximately 450 kg of heroin and drug money worth more than ₹23 crore. The recoveries also included over 67 lakh narcotic capsules, around 4,200 injections and 84 kg of narcotic powder.
According to Cheema, these seizures reflect the scale of action being taken to break drug supply chains and prevent narcotics from reaching young people. Harpal Singh Cheema on drug use in Punjab emphasised that the government was committed to continuing its crackdown on traffickers and organised criminal networks.
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Cheema Compares Drug Use Trends in Different States
Targeting the BJP over its governance in other states, Cheema referred to a newspaper report published on October 25. He claimed that the report showed a 5.5% decline in drug use in Punjab.
In contrast, he cited increases of 28% in Delhi, 18% in Uttar Pradesh, 42% in Haryana and 51% in Madhya Pradesh. The minister said the figures were based on data from the Government of India and were not prepared by the AAP government.
He also referred to an alleged statement by Bihar Director General of Police Kundan Krishnan, who had reportedly suggested that other states could learn from Punjab’s efforts to tackle drugs.
Cheema argued that the figures raised questions about the BJP’s approach to the drug problem in states governed by the party. He said political parties should focus on addressing the issue rather than using it to target Punjab.
Questions BJP’s Record in Gujarat
The Punjab minister also questioned the BJP’s record in Gujarat, where the party has been in power for more than three decades. He alleged that Gujarat had emerged as a significant route for drugs entering and moving across the country.
Cheema asked how the BJP could claim credibility on the issue while politicising Punjab’s anti-drug campaign. He maintained that the state government was taking concrete steps to protect young people from the harmful effects of narcotics.
Concluding his remarks, Cheema said the AAP government would continue its action against drug peddlers, gangsters and those involved in organised crime. Harpal Singh Cheema on drug use in Punjab reiterated that the fight against narcotics remained a priority for the Bhagwant Mann government and that efforts to dismantle drug networks would continue.
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