LIVE: CM Mann hits out at Amit Shah, says ‘Stop Cheap Politics’ and look within as drug menace spreads in BJP-ruled states
Babushahi Network
Chandigarh, October 20, 2026: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday hit back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the drug menace in Punjab, asking the BJP-led Centre to answer for its past record instead of blaming the state government.
With Shah visiting Punjab, Mann accused the BJP of indulging in politics over the drug issue and asked it to look at the record of previous governments, including the Akali-BJP alliance that ruled Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
“Instead of doing politics over dead bodies, answer for the sins of the past,” Mann said, questioning the Centre’s response to drug trafficking and its role in securing the India-Pakistan border.
Mann questions Akali-BJP government’s record on drugs
Mann alleged that the drug problem intensified during the Akali-BJP government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. He questioned why the BJP had not taken stronger action against drug trafficking during that period.
He also referred to allegations of drug trafficking involving political figures and raised the issue of action against senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia. The allegations and any individual’s legal responsibility must be assessed through the relevant investigations and court proceedings.
The Chief Minister said the BJP should explain what steps it had taken to tackle drug trafficking after coming to power at the Centre in 2014, rather than holding the present Punjab government solely responsible for the problem.
Questions Centre over border security and Gujarat port seizures
Mann questioned the Centre’s role in stopping drugs and weapons from entering India through the Pakistan border. He pointed out that the Border Security Force (BSF) operates under the Union government and asked why Punjab continued to face the problem of cross-border drug smuggling.
He also cited drug seizures at Gujarat’s ports, including Kandla, and asked what concrete action had been taken to prevent narcotics from entering the country through maritime routes.
The Chief Minister argued that drug trafficking was not confined to Punjab and that supply routes, border security and organised networks needed to be addressed across states.
He also questioned the availability of anti-drone technology to check the use of drones for smuggling drugs and weapons across the border.
Raises farmers’ deaths during agitation
Mann also brought up the farmers’ agitation against the now-repealed farm laws, which continued for more than a year and included a prolonged protest at Delhi’s borders.
Claiming that more than 700 farmers died during the agitation, he questioned the Centre’s response to the affected families. Mann said the Punjab government had provided financial assistance and government jobs to families of farmers who died during the protest and asked why the Centre had not shown similar concern.
He said the concerns of Punjab’s farmers and families affected by the drug crisis should not be used merely for political exchanges.
Flags gangster networks and drug abuse in other states
Mann also questioned the handling of organised crime and drug abuse in BJP-ruled states. Referring to Gujarat, Haryana and Rajasthan, he said the drug problem and gangster activity required serious attention beyond Punjab.
He raised concerns about alleged criminal networks operating from prisons, referring to Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat and Tihar Jail in Delhi. Such claims require verification through investigations and evidence.
The Chief Minister said governments must act against the networks that sustain organised crime rather than limit the debate to political accusations.
Mann says Punjab’s anti-drug campaign will continue
Mann said the Punjab government would intensify its War on Drugs campaign, claiming that arrests had been made and action taken against properties linked to drug trafficking.
He said enforcement must be accompanied by treatment and rehabilitation for people struggling with addiction, along with efforts to prevent young people from becoming dependent on drugs.
Mann also called for stronger legal measures under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, arguing that effective investigations and solid evidence were essential to securing convictions in drug trafficking cases.
Shah’s Punjab visit and Mann’s response have brought the division of responsibility between the Centre and the state government over drug trafficking, border security and law and order into focus. The key question remains what further action both governments will take to disrupt drug supply networks and protect Punjab’s youth.