BJP-ruled Gujarat fuels drug trade in Punjab, alleges Arvind Kejriwal

Jalandhar: Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has accused the BJP-led Gujarat government of allowing the state to become a major gateway for narcotics entering India, alleging that 70 per cent of the drugs reaching Punjab originate from Gujarat.

Addressing a meeting with traders in Jalandhar, Kejriwal claimed that large-scale drug trafficking into Punjab was linked to failures under the BJP rule in Gujarat. He cited the seizure of narcotics worth ₹21,000 crore at Mundra Port and referred to a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report mentioning the loss of 2,200 kilograms of seized drugs in Gujarat as evidence for his allegations.

Kejriwal also launched a fresh attack on the BJP over jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. He alleged that the Union government was protecting Bishnoi and enabling him to continue coordinating criminal activities while lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail in Gujarat. According to Kejriwal, even the Punjab Police faces difficulties in securing custody of the gangster because of restrictions imposed by the Union Home Ministry.

The AAP leader further accused the BJP of misusing central investigative agencies to intimidate business communities and collect political funds. Mocking the party as an “ED Party,” he alleged that traders were being pressured through the threat of enforcement action. He claimed that the BJP had collected ₹60 crore in donations from traders in Punjab, while AAP had received only ₹70 lakh.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia also attended the event. Mann assured traders that the state government remained committed to addressing their concerns. He also criticised those who, according to him, had previously sheltered drug mafias and criminal networks but were now opposing government action against them.