Harpal Singh Cheema (TIN)
Chandigarh: Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Punjab Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday accused the BJP-led Central Government of failing to act on Punjab’s repeated requests for stricter laws to curb the misuse of pharmaceutical drugs and dismantle supply networks operating outside the state.
Cheema said the Punjab Government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, had written to the Centre several times seeking stronger legal provisions but had received no concrete response. He alleged that manufacturers and suppliers operating in BJP- and Congress-ruled states continued to fuel Punjab’s drug problem while the state government pursued action against traffickers.
Addressing a press conference, Cheema said Punjab was confronting the drug menace on the ground, but the Central Government had failed to take decisive action against the sources supplying synthetic and pharmaceutical substances to the state.
He alleged that several pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply networks were operating outside Punjab, including in Haryana, Baddi in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Ahmedabad in Gujarat. According to him, the Centre must investigate these supply chains and hold those responsible accountable.
Cheema also maintained that Punjab did not manufacture the prescription medicines being misused as intoxicants, arguing that stronger enforcement in manufacturing and distribution centres was essential to prevent these substances from reaching vulnerable communities.
Cheema named Pregabalin, Gaba, Clomine, Tramadol, Zopiclone, Flu Practsol and Carisoprodol among the medicines allegedly being misused as intoxicants in Punjab. He said these medicines were intended for regulated medical use and that their misuse required stronger safeguards.
The minister said the Punjab Health Department had written to the Centre on October 31, 2025, and September 21, 2026, seeking the inclusion of these medicines in the schedule of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh had also approached the Central Government on the issue.
Cheema questioned why the Centre had not taken concrete steps despite these representations, arguing that stronger legal provisions were needed to address the misuse of prescription medicines and disrupt their supply.
Recalling his tenure as Punjab’s Excise and Taxation Minister, Cheema said he had written two letters to the Centre seeking stricter legislation to prevent the misuse of methyl alcohol, or methanol, which is intended for industrial purposes.
He criticised the response from Union Minister Piyush Goyal, alleging that it referred to existing legislation, including the Inflammable Substances Act, 1952, the Petroleum Act, 1934, and the Poisons Act, 1919, instead of providing an effective solution.
Cheema cited deaths linked to methanol consumption in Sangrur and Majitha as examples of the consequences of illegal supply. He said investigations traced the chemical’s supply to Faridabad in Haryana and claimed that the Punjab Government had acted against the firms involved, with those responsible being sent to jail.
He asserted that his government would continue taking action against anyone whose activities endangered human lives.
With Union Home Minister Amit Shah scheduled to visit Punjab, Cheema demanded answers about the Centre’s efforts to stop drugs from entering the state across the international border.
He referred to the extension of the Border Security Force’s jurisdiction in Punjab to 55 kilometres during the Congress government’s tenure from 2017 to 2022. Despite that measure, he argued, drug trafficking remained a serious challenge.
Cheema said the Punjab Government had sought financial assistance from the Centre to strengthen the Punjab Police but had not received the requested support. He added that the state had developed its own anti-drone system using its resources to counter drug-trafficking networks allegedly using drones arriving from Pakistan.
The minister questioned why Punjab had to bear these expenses alone, stressing that border security and efforts against cross-border smuggling required effective coordination between the state and the Centre.
Cheema accused the BJP-led government of prioritising political interests over cooperation with Punjab to dismantle drug networks. He contrasted the Centre’s response to pharmaceutical drug regulation with its decision to introduce the now-repealed farm laws, which he described as “black laws.”
He alleged that the Centre had shown greater urgency in bringing those farm laws than in strengthening legislation that could help prevent the misuse of pharmaceutical drugs.
The AAP leader called for stronger laws, accountability and coordinated enforcement, saying Punjab’s drug crisis should not be treated as a political opportunity.
He added that the Mann government would continue its campaign against traffickers and would not allow political pressure or administrative obstacles to weaken its efforts.
Cheema also addressed the case involving Parvinder Singh Jhota, saying the Punjab Government stood with his family in its fight against the drug menace.
He said the government had decided to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following police action against the accused and in response to the family’s demand.
Cheema said the government was committed to ensuring that the matter received serious attention and that the family’s concerns were addressed.
Reaffirming the state government’s position, he said the campaign against drug trafficking would continue with strict action against those responsible for harming young people. He maintained that the government would pursue every necessary measure to work towards a drug-free Punjab.
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