Tarn Taran, November 6: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann targeted former Akali Dal leaders during a roadshow in Tarn Taran on Thursday, referring to the 2025 arrest of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a drug-related case.
Mann mocked former Akali claims that heroin, locally referred to as “Chitta,” was not present in the state during their rule. “She is right, people didn’t know the name ‘Chitta’ back then. In that era, it was called ‘Majithia Puri and Majithia Tikka,’” Mann said, referring to Majithia’s alleged involvement in drug networks.
The Chief Minister said the previous Akali and Congress governments had allowed the drug trade to flourish, affecting Punjab’s youth. “Those who destroyed the future of young people should not give speeches about saving Punjab now,” he added.
Mann highlighted his government’s ongoing crackdown on drug networks, emphasizing that politically influential figures would not be spared. The 2025 arrest of Majithia by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau involved allegations of laundering drug money worth over ₹540 crore, and a case of assets beyond income connected to a ₹700 crore network.
Officials said Mann’s remarks were intended to underline the state government’s commitment to enforcing laws against drug trafficking, in contrast to what he described as a lack of action under previous administrations.
