Patiala, November 1, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab media in-charge and spokesperson for the state government’s anti-drug campaign, Baltej Pannu, on Sunday accused opposition parties of politicising the drug menace and deaths linked to substance abuse, alleging that they were doing so out of frustration over the Bhagwant Mann government’s development and welfare initiatives.
Addressing a press conference in Patiala, Pannu said the government’s initiatives—including expanding canal irrigation coverage, providing up to 600 units of free electricity, cashless healthcare cover of up to Rs 10 lakh and financial assistance for women—had left the opposition short of political issues.
He alleged that the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government had allowed the spread of ‘chitta’ in Punjab between 2007 and 2017, while the Congress government led by Captain Amarinder Singh had failed to fulfil its promise to eliminate drugs after coming to power in 2017.
Pannu said the ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh’ campaign, launched after the AAP government assumed office in 2022, had combined police action, civil administration and public participation. He claimed that more than one lakh people had joined village and ward defence committees, making the campaign a public movement.
Highlighting measures to speed up trials in drug cases, Pannu said the state government had approved 35 dedicated NDPS courts and 385 posts, including 35 Additional District and Sessions Judges. He said Punjab registered around 20,000 NDPS cases and made approximately 27,000 arrests annually, while 52,777 cases were pending as of August 31, 2026.
Citing court records and data published by The Indian Express, Pannu claimed that Punjab’s NDPS conviction rate had risen from around 58 per cent during the Congress regime to 89 per cent in 2026. He put the rate at 80 per cent in 2022, 81 per cent in 2023, 85 per cent in 2024 and 88 per cent in 2025.
He also alleged that no minister, MLA or AAP functionary had been named in connection with drug cases since the party came to power, asserting that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had directed officials not to entertain political recommendations in such matters.
Pannu accused opposition parties of using drug-related deaths for political gains instead of helping affected families. He said the AAP government would seek a fresh mandate in the 2027 Assembly elections on the basis of its performance and pledged that the anti-drug campaign would continue until chitta was eliminated from Punjab.
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