Kejriwal, Mann pitch community-led reporting in Punjab’s anti-drug drive at Moga event

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday attended an oath-taking ceremony for Village Defence Committees (VDCs) in Moga district, where they urged residents to share information on alleged drug trafficking and support rehabilitation efforts as part of the state government’s ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign.

Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal accused the Shiromani Akali Dal, the BJP and the Congress of allowing narcotics to spread in Punjab during their tenures. He called on voters not to support these parties, arguing that a change in government could weaken the ongoing enforcement drive.

Kejriwal said the campaign—launched last year—had led to seizures of narcotics and the arrest of “major” traffickers. He also referred to the use of demolitions against properties linked to alleged drug peddlers as part of the administration’s approach, and said public confidence had improved as enforcement actions increased. The state government has positioned the campaign as a combination of policing and community participation, with local committees expected to report suspected trafficking and encourage treatment for people struggling with addiction.

The VDC model and a digital reporting mechanism have been part of the campaign’s expanded second phase, launched in January. According to PTI reports from that launch, the government said volunteers—described as ‘Pind De Pehredar’—would work with the police and administration, and could share information through an app intended to protect the identity of informants, with oversight routed to senior levels of government.

Mann said the campaign was meant to reduce supply and also support prevention measures, including sports infrastructure and employment initiatives aimed at discouraging drug use among young people. At the Moga event, AAP leaders reiterated that VDC members would be expected to help identify both alleged sellers and those needing de-addiction support.

The government’s use of demolitions in some cases has also faced legal scrutiny. In a separate matter, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed a demolition drive in a case where petitioners alleged action without prior notice, and directed status quo until further hearing.

Opposition parties have questioned the government’s claims and the framing of anti-drug actions. On Monday, senior Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira alleged that state machinery and public funds were being used to facilitate what he described as a partisan political rally in Moga, even though it was projected as an anti-narcotics programme. Separately, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has said in a recent statement that the anti-drug drive had “failed,” while police, in the same episode, said there was no confirmed link to drug use in the specific death being cited.

The Moga programme also included references to the state’s broader social policy agenda. Mann reiterated the government’s position on the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, a cashless health scheme approved by the Punjab Cabinet to provide treatment cover of up to ₹10 lakh per family.