The Hindu Explainer of the Drug Menace in Punjab

Local residents sit in protest when Parvinder Singh Jhota, an anti-drug crusader, was shot dead on October 13 in Mansa, Punjab. File | Photo credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

The story so far: The drug menace has remained a central political and social problem in Punjab for years, and despite lofty promises to eradicate it, successive governments have failed to successfully address the problem.

Last decade, ahead of the 2017 assembly elections, the then Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh had taken the oath of “Gutka Sahib” (a small book of sacred verses from Guru Granth Sahib) promising the people of Punjab to curb the menace of drugs within four weeks of assuming power. Congress ruled from 2017 to 2022, yet the drug problem remained. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) she made a similar promise in 2022, saying she would end the drug menace within three to four months of forming a government. Four and a half years later, the problem continues to plague the state.

Published – 02 Nov 2026 10:48 IST