Channigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann mounted a robust defence of his government's sweeping anti-drug and anti-gangster campaign on Tuesday, declaring that nearly 80 percent of narcotics flowing into the state from the Pakistan border have been neutralised through sustained law enforcement action. Speaking at a press conference here, Mann said the state has witnessed an unprecedented decline in drug consumption and trafficking since his administration took charge, attributing the shift to a combination of intelligence-driven raids, interdiction at border outposts, and strict prosecution of offenders.
The chief minister's remarks came amid intensifying political debate over the efficacy and人道ity of Punjab's drug warfare. Opposition leaders have accused the government of relying heavily on high-profile arrests while ignoring the systemic roots of addiction, but Mann pushed back sharply, dubbing such criticism as "vulture politics" — a charge that rivals are exploiting Punjab's fragility for electoral gain rather than working towards real solutions.
Punjab has long been regarded as India's hardest-hit state in the narcotics crisis, serving as both a transit corridor for Afghan heroin destined for northern markets and a domestic consumer plagued by youth addiction. Government surveys in recent years estimated that over a million residents struggle with substance dependence, and drug-related violence has periodically erupted across districts like Bathinda, Mansa, and Faridkot.
Mann highlighted that specialized border task forces have intercepted substantial consignments at key crossing points, while home guards and police units have dismantled multiple underground labs. He also pointed to a new witness-protection framework and faster-track courts designed to reduce case pendency — a chronic bottleneck that previously allowed traffickers to operate with impunity.
Law enforcement data released alongside the chief minister's statement showed that more than 12,000 drug-related cases were filed in the past year alone, with over 4,500 arrests made across the state. However, independent analysts cautioned that while seizures have risen, addiction treatment centres remain under-resourced and rehabilitation infrastructure has not kept pace with enforcement gains.
The commentary is expected to fuel further rows in the upcoming legislative session, where opposition parties have already sought discussions on a specialised drug-control budget and greater central assistance for border fencing and surveillance technology.
