AAP ministers call arrest of SAD leader a historic step

Chandigarh

The arrest of former Punjab minister and senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Wednesday has been described by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers as a crucial milestone in the state’s determined fight against drug trafficking. The move, they say, underscores Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s commitment to a drug-free Punjab, a promise made during the 2022 election campaign.

Punjab’s Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, stated that the arrest reinforces the government’s zero-tolerance policy. AAP, our national convener Arvind Kejriwal, and CM Bhagwant Mann had pledged to eliminate the drug menace. This action is not about politics — it is about justice and accountability. No matter their status or party affiliation, anyone found guilty will face consequences. Highlighting the severity of the drug problem during the previous SAD-BJP regime, Dhaliwal referenced the 2013 arrest of former police officer Jagdish Bhola, who had allegedly named Majithia in his confession. Badal Saheb’s silence back then raised serious questions, he added.

Lal Chand Kataruchakk, Punjab’s Minister of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, echoed similar sentiments, calling the arrest historic. He praised CM Mann’s leadership and questioned the inaction of the previous Congress-led government. Everyone knew Majithia was facing NDPS charges. Why didn’t Congress act? What were their ties with him? he asked. The minister said the move has been welcomed by families who have lost loved ones to drug abuse. If Majithia is innocent, the courts will decide. But Jagdish Bhola’s statement — calling him their leader — remains a critical piece of evidence, he added.