Baltej Pannu, State Media In-Charge of the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, strongly criticised opposition leaders for questioning the oath ceremony of Village Defense Committees held in Killi Chahl village of Moga. He said the criticism reflects the unease among opposition parties over the state government’s anti-drug initiatives under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and accused them of raising objections without justification.
Responding to allegations about the use of public funds, Pannu said those making such claims should reflect on their own time in power. He argued that people still remember how narcotics spread during earlier administrations and questioned whether illegal substances were not transported in official vehicles then. According to him, the present government is utilising public money to curb drug abuse and safeguard Punjab’s future rather than shielding traffickers.
He also mocked what he described as the opposition’s anxiety, stating that the Moga gathering was attended only by members of Village Defense Committees and a small number of aware citizens from each village who pledged support. He added that when entire villages join hands under the next phase of the Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign, the reaction of opposition parties would be worth watching.
Pannu expressed confidence that the campaign’s second phase will succeed because, in his view, most Punjabis want a state free from drugs. He claimed that only opposition groups stand to lose from such a development, as their politics would suffer once the drug problem is eradicated. He concluded by asserting that the Mann government will act firmly against anyone who endangers the future of Punjab’s youth.
