Harbhajan Singh slams Punjab government over 'zombie drug' video

Chandigarh. Politics in Punjab is hotting up again. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has raised serious questions over a viral video shared on social media by Rajya Sabha MP and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh. Cheema claimed that the video, which is being circulated as Punjab, is actually from Rajasthan's Sriganganagar district and not Punjab.

Harbhajan Singh shared the video on social media late on Monday night and expressed concern over the drug situation in Punjab. In the video, two young men wearing turbans are seen standing in an unusual position. After the video surfaced on social media, it was allegedly linked to a "zombie drug." Some online claims tried to link the young men's condition to drug use linked to xylazine and opioids.

However, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema questioned the location of the video. He alleged that the video was not from Punjab and linking it to Punjab was an attempt to malign the image of the state and Punjabis.

Video part of 'anti-Punjab narrative', alleges Cheema

Harpal Singh Cheema said that the Aam Aadmi Party had sent him to the Rajya Sabha in view of his contribution and hoped that he would become a positive role model for the Punjabi youth. Cheema alleged that after coming together with the BJP, Harbhajan Singh was presenting the issues related to Punjab in a different way.

Cheema said sharing videos of non-Punjabis as Punjabis was an attempt to strengthen the BJP's alleged "anti-Punjab and anti-Punjabi" narrative. He alleged that a political attempt was being made to tarnish the image of the state by constantly targeting Punjab on the issue of drugs.

Drugs being smuggled from Gujarat ports

Hitting back on the issue of drugs, Cheema cited the huge consignments of drugs seized at Gujarat ports. He alleged that drugs reaching Punjab were coming through Gujarat and questioned why only Punjab was made the centre of political discourse despite the large consignments of drugs being continuously seized in Gujarat.

Cheema said that Gujarat is a BJP-ruled state and questions should also be raised about the system there regarding the supply chain of drugs.

The government's claim about the 'War on Drugs'

The Punjab government said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, a massive campaign is being run against drugs. According to the government, under the 'War on Drugs' campaign, the focus is on breaking the supply chain of drugs, taking action against smugglers and peddlers, as well as treatment and rehabilitation of people struggling with drug addiction.

Meanwhile, the war of words between the government and the opposition has intensified. In such a situation, the video shared by Harbhajan Singh has further heated up the political debate on the drug problem in Punjab.

Now the big question is what is the actual location of the viral video and how serious is the ground reality on the drug problem in Punjab apart from the political allegations?