Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], October 17 (ANI): Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday held Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann directly responsible for the murder of anti-drug activist Parwinder Singh alias Jhota in Mansa, alleging that the state’s law and order situation had deteriorated under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
Questioning the state government’s handling of the drug menace and rising crime, Badal alleged that the Chief Minister had failed to prioritise law and order and claimed that his government had ruined Punjab.
“The situation is such that law and order simply does not exist. That is because the Chief Minister has no time for it. They have kept DGPs on a temporary basis throughout these five years. The Chief Minister is busy indulging in luxuries… he stays intoxicated himself. That is why conditions have deteriorated to this extent. This is such a pathetic state; they have ruined Punjab. And regarding the murders that took place, the direct responsibility lies with Bhagwant Mann,” Badal told reporters.
Asked about the possibility of early elections and the intensified probe by central agencies, Badal said, “There is corruption in everything: in sand mining, in administrative postings and transfers, in plot allocations, and in granting CLUs (Change of Land Use).”
He further alleged that AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal had prepared a list of industrialists and business owners in Punjab for alleged extortion, claiming that different amounts were being demanded from different categories of people.
“Kejriwal has prepared a list of industrialists and business owners in Punjab–they came and informed me–dividing them into two categories: one category from whom they demand Rs 2 crore, and another category from whom they demand Rs 5 crore. That is how they are extorting money. Kejriwal has made a plan to collect at least Rs 1,000 crore,” Badal alleged.
On the Chief Minister’s foreign visit and birthday, Badal said, “Ask the Chief Minister, how many times has he traveled abroad? Can he show a single real achievement from those visits? He only goes there to tell lies. He has simply gone to celebrate his birthday and enjoy luxury. That is because he knows this is his last chance. After this, he will be locked up inside [jail] for 10 to 20 years.”
Furthermore, Badal said the SAD had convened a meeting of constituency presidents from its Scheduled Caste (SC), Backward Class (BC), and youth wings to prepare for the party’s upcoming campaign.
“Today, we have convened a meeting of all our constituency presidents of the SC wing, BC wing, and Youth wing to prepare for our upcoming campaign. The meeting has been called for that purpose,” he said.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has allowed the Punjab government’s petition challenging the Centre’s denial of political clearance for Mann’s visit to France. Mann was scheduled to lead an official delegation to Paris from October 15 to 21 for an international food fair to promote Markfed products. The Centre had cited security concerns, including intelligence inputs of threats from radical groups abroad.
The remarks come amid heightened political tensions following the killing of Jhota, who was shot dead in broad daylight in Mansa on October 13 during a confrontation at a medical store over the alleged sale of addictive substances.
Jhota was reportedly known for campaigning against drug abuse and confronting suspected sellers of habit-forming medicines. The incident triggered protests and renewed concerns over drug trafficking and law and order in Punjab.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought a comprehensive factual report from the Punjab government on the killing and details of measures taken to strengthen the state’s anti-narcotics enforcement framework.
The Ministry has called for steps including the restructuring of a dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), mandatory financial investigations in drug-related cases, stronger prosecution under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, designation of NDPS courts and improved coordination among agencies through the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) mechanism.
The killing has also drawn criticism from other SAD leaders. Former Punjab minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia blamed the Mann government for the incident and alleged that timely action against police officers accused of supporting the drug mafia could have saved Jhota’s life.
“Had timely action been taken against the SHO and the DSP, who were supporting the drug mafia, Parvinder Jhota would still be alive today,” Majithia told ANI.
He also questioned the timing of the demolition of Jhota’s house and shop, alleging that the action should have been taken earlier.
The murder prompted a statewide bandh call on October 15 by Jhota’s family and various organisations demanding accountability and an independent investigation. Several markets in Mohali remained closed, while police personnel were deployed at key locations to maintain law and order and regulate traffic.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had termed the killing unfortunate and assured that those responsible would face the strictest punishment. He said he had directed the Director General of Police to ensure a thorough investigation and that anyone involved in the alleged conspiracy would not be spared.
In a joint operation with Rajasthan Police, Punjab Police arrested the alleged main shooter from Salasar in Rajasthan on Wednesday. The accused was reportedly hiding in disguise at a dharamshala near the Salasar Balaji Temple. Further investigation into the case is underway. (ANI)
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