Ending hours of suspense around his attendance at the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) mega rally at Killi Chahal village in Moga district today, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann reached the rally and gave a clarion call to intensify the fight against drugs. Striking an emotional chord with the gathering, he raised the slogan, “Zindagi zindabad, no murdabad,” and concluded his address with “love you all.”Starting the second phase of fight against the drugs in the state, in a scathing attack on previous regimes, the Chief Minister accused earlier governments of pushing Punjab into a “drug cesspool” for political and financial gains.“We are breaking the drug supply chain, rehabilitating addicts and taking strict action against drug suppliers. There is now a ‘Lok Lehar’ (people’s wave) against drugs, and this collective resolve is the only way to eliminate this menace,” he said, adding that his government is committed to uprooting those responsible for ruining the state.Mann said that since the launch of the state’s anti-drug crusade on March 1, 2025, the campaign has gained massive public support. “Initially, people were skeptical, but as the days passed, their faith strengthened. It is the people’s trust that has empowered us to act firmly,” he said.Highlighting the role of Village Defence Committees (VDCs), he said over 1.5 lakh members have been enrolled, with more than 70,000 identity cards issued. Each VDC member has been provided access to a mobile application to confidentially share information about drug peddlers. “More than 33,000 tips have been received, leading to around 17,000 arrests. The identity of informers is kept secret,” he said, urging every resident to become part of the movement.The Chief Minister also announced that playgrounds are being developed in every village to channel the energy of youth towards sports. “Punjabis were once known for producing wrestlers and players, but political parties made us infamous for drugs. We are reversing that trend,” he remarked.He added that 60,000 government jobs have been provided and daytime power supply to farmers ensured.AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, addressing the rally, said he was there to strengthen state government’s resolve. He blamed the BJP, Congress and SAD (Badal) for patronising drug networks in the past. “This war cannot be won by the government alone. Every village, every household must participate,” he said, urging VDC members to spread awareness and socially and politically boycott those who promote drugs.Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said large-scale recoveries in Punjab had saved thousands of youths from falling prey to addiction. “VDC members are the live cameras of the Punjab government,” he remarked.Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh revealed that 2,046 kg of drugs were recovered in the state in 2025, significantly higher than seizures reported in some BJP-ruled states. He claimed that 25,000 youths had been rehabilitated as part of the state’s anti-drug campaign.Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said over 34,000 FIRs had been registered and around 45,000 arrests made in drug-related cases. He added that more than 1,200 actionable tips were received through the VDC network, leading to the arrest of 3000 peddlers. “Punjab has achieved over 90 per cent conviction rate under the NDPS Act, the highest in the country,” he claimed.Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha said the anti-drug drive was launched on March 1, 2025, and stressed that the government alone cannot eradicate the menace without public cooperation. VDC members who helped in the seizure of 43 kg of heroin were honoured with cash prizes at the rally.VDC members took a collective oath, led by the Chief Minister, pledging to make their villages drug-free and to remain committed to the fight against narcotics.
