Dhaliwal slams AAP’s anti-drug drive as political drama, alleges failure to tackle Punjab’s drug menace

Launching a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress leader and Phagwara MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal on Wednesday dismissed the party’s ward-level anti-drug awareness camps as “political drama” staged for publicity rather than a sincere effort to combat Punjab’s escalating drug crisis.

Accusing the AAP government of lacking seriousness and substance, Dhaliwal claimed the situation has worsened alarmingly under its rule, with drug abuse rampant and law and order deteriorating across the state.

Speaking to the media in Phagwara, Dhaliwal alleged that the anti-drug camps organised by AAP are superficial events orchestrated to create a false image of action. “These so-called anti-drug camps are nothing but orchestrated performances with minimal community involvement. In each ward, only about 10 to 12 local residents participate, while the same 25 municipal corporation employees are moved from one camp to another just to build a crowd,” he claimed.

The Congress MLA further alleged that some of the individuals appearing alongside AAP leaders at these events have previously been accused of involvement in the drug trade. “This hypocrisy exposes the real face behind AAP’s campaign. They’re more concerned about media coverage and photo-ops than actually uprooting the drug menace,” Dhaliwal said.

Targeting Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann directly, Dhaliwal said that if the AAP government were genuinely committed to fighting the drug mafia, the crisis would not have escalated to its current level. “The drug river that began flowing during the Akali-BJP regime was brought under control to a large extent by the Congress. But under the AAP administration, the drug trade is flourishing once again — and with shocking impunity,” he asserted.

Dhaliwal said banned substances continue to be sold openly, while increasing numbers of drug-dependent youth are turning to crimes such as theft, robbery, and snatching to support their addictions.

Concluding his address, Dhaliwal expressed confidence that growing public disillusionment with the AAP government will be reflected in the 2027 Assembly elections.

Jalandhar