Congress Accuses AAP of Unleashing Anarchy in Punjab

NEW DELHI, September 8, 2026: The Congress on Tuesday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of unleashing “anarchy” in Punjab, alleging that it had surrendered to gangsters while failing to tackle the state’s growing drug menace.

The party also demanded the dismissal of Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema, alleging that a Dalit man who died by suicide had named the minister in his dying declaration and held him responsible for his death.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Punjab Assembly Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa alleged that the AAP had begun using what he described as party leader Manish Sisodia’s “saam, daam, dand, bhed” strategy to win elections “by hook or by crook”.

Bajwa claimed that despite its alleged tactics, the AAP would not be able to return to power in Punjab, saying the party’s victory in the 2022 Assembly elections would be its “first and last” electoral success in the state.

Taking aim at the AAP’s “Yudh Nashya Virudh” anti-drug campaign, Bajwa questioned its effectiveness, alleging that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had himself failed to give up drinking. He claimed Mann had entered the Punjab Assembly in an inebriated condition and refused to undergo an alcohol test.

Bajwa also alleged that AAP was inducting criminal elements into its ranks ahead of the elections. Referring to gangster Gurpreet Sekhon, he claimed that Sekhon faced charges in 47 criminal cases, including the November 2016 Nabha Jailbreak and several murder cases.

According to Bajwa, Sekhon was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with the jailbreak, although the sentence was subsequently suspended by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He further alleged that AAP was considering fielding Sekhon from the Zira Assembly constituency.

Bajwa also raised allegations concerning gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, claiming that despite being lodged in a jail in Assam, he continued to exert influence in Punjab. He questioned how Bhagwanpuria could make calls to people from inside a jail in a BJP-ruled state.

The Congress leader alleged that Punjab was witnessing a revival of what he called an “AAP-criminal nexus”. He described gangster culture and drug addiction as two major threats facing the state.

“While the AAP has failed completely on the issue of drugs, it has not only surrendered before the gangsters but is now providing them with a political platform,” Bajwa alleged.

On the demand for Cheema’s dismissal, Bajwa referred to the suicide of Gulzar Singh, a Dalit man from Dirba in Sangrur district. He alleged that Singh took his own life after being humiliated by people associated with Cheema, following his complaints about the easy availability of drugs in the area.

Bajwa claimed that Singh had raised the issue after his own son became addicted to drugs and that the deceased had named Harpal Cheema as responsible for his death in his dying declaration.

Bajwa further accused the AAP government of turning Punjab into a “police state”, alleging that party leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann were using the police as their “private militia”.

He cited the September 2 arrest of a youth named Mohanjit, who he said was from Chief Minister Mann’s home district and had waved a black flag at the Chief Minister while seeking attention to the drug problem.

Bajwa alleged that Mohanjit was subsequently beaten by police and that his hair and beard were pulled, triggering widespread outrage across Punjab.