New Delhi: Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Union home ministry would seek an explanation from the Punjab government over the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhotta in Mansa and the reported suicide of a father in Dirba allegedly following pressure.
The statement has brought the issue into the national political spotlight, with the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) trading allegations over drug trafficking and law and order in Punjab.
In a post on X, Shah said Jhotta’s father had levelled serious allegations against the AAP government and a state legislator. He questioned who would take responsibility for the safety of Punjab’s residents amid concerns over drug trafficking, gang violence and organised crime.
Shah said people speaking out against drugs should be able to do so safely and called for action to dismantle drug networks. He also demanded an impartial investigation into allegations that criminals were receiving political protection.
Addressing chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Shah said Punjab’s people wanted results rather than announcements. He added that a BJP-led government in the state would work towards making Punjab free of drugs and gangsters and ensuring public safety.
The BJP has been highlighting drugs and law and order as key issues in Punjab. On September 30, the party concluded its ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab’ campaign with Shah’s rally in Jalandhar, where he spoke of eliminating drugs from the state by 2029.
The killing of Jhotta and the separate Dirba case have given opposition parties fresh grounds to question the AAP government’s handling of public safety. The allegations cited by Shah remain subject to investigation.
