Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Warring questions Governor’s anti-drug march, calls it ‘Samjhauta Express’
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, February 10, 2026: Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Monday launched a sharp attack on Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, questioning the intent behind the Governor-led “march against drugs” and alleging that it was aimed at politically reviving the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) ahead of the Assembly elections.
Warring suggested that the march appeared less like an anti-drug initiative and more like an effort to prepare the ground for a renewed Akali-BJP alliance in the state.
As the anti-drug campaign unfolded, Warring remarked that the march resembled “CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) being administered to a dying Shiromani Akali Dal.”
He alleged that the participation of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal alongside the Governor reinforced the perception that the exercise was politically motivated rather than focused on addressing the drug menace.
Taking to social media platform X, Warring posed a pointed question to the Governor, asking whether the march was genuinely against drugs or an attempt to run the “Samjhauta Express” to revive the Akali-BJP alliance.
“My humble question to Hon’ble Punjab Governor Shri Gulab Chand Kataria Ji is whether the march he is leading against drugs is actually a campaign against drugs or an attempt to run the ‘Samjhauta Express’ and prepare ground for forging an Akali-BJP alliance in the state,” he wrote.
The Punjab Congress chief further questioned whether the Governor had raised the issue of drug smuggling with the Union Home Ministry before launching the march, noting that border security falls under the Centre’s jurisdiction.
Referring to the expansion of the Border Security Force’s operational jurisdiction up to 50 kilometres inside Punjab, Warring asked what steps the central government was taking to stop the inflow of drugs from across the border.
While criticising the Aam Aadmi Party government for what he termed a “complete failure” in tackling the drug problem, Warring also held the Centre accountable.
“If the AAP government has already failed, what is the central government doing to prevent drug smuggling from across the border?” he asked.
Urging the Governor to first take up the issue with the Union Home Ministry, Warring said, “I would request you to raise the matter with the Union Home Ministry before running the ‘Samjhauta Express’ for an Akali-BJP alliance in the name of an anti-drug march.”
He also referred to photographs of the Governor marching alongside Sukhbir Badal, remarking that the images were “too ‘nice’ to be overlooked” and conveyed an “obvious political message.”