CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party raised serious questions regarding opposition leaders defending a person facing nine criminal cases, including NDPS, excise, and rape charges, with four convictions. Addressing a press conference alongside Cabinet Ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Ravjot Singh, and Hardeep Singh Mundian, AAP Punjab President and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora stated that previous Akali Dal, Congress, and BJP governments had protected drug peddlers for money, whereas the Bhagwant Mann government has disrupted their supply lines and broken the political protection nexus through its ongoing drive.
Referring to the recent incident in Namol village under the Sunam constituency, Aman Arora affirmed that two panchayats, local gurdwara committees, farmer organizations, and villagers had united to pass a collective resolution against drug sales. The Minister noted that the individual involved had multiple cases registered against him dating back to 2018, including convictions, and had previously engaged in altercations with village representatives after being confronted. Aman Arora asserted that opposition leaders, including Ravneet Singh Bittu, Partap Singh Bajwa, and Bikram Majithia, were resorting to low-level politics over a sensitive matter without verifying ground facts. He challenged the opposition leaders to visit Namol village and repeat their social media claims directly before the residents.
Adding to the statements, Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema questioned whether the opposition stood with the united villagers or an alleged drug dealer. Cabinet Minister Ravjot Singh maintained that the village had actively organized village night patrols to support the government initiative against drugs. Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian declared that opposition parties ought to listen to ground realities rather than indulging in political maneuvering over tragic incidents.
