States » NorthPosted at: Sep 18 2026 3:01PM


BJP launches Punjab anti-drug yatra: Campaign to cover all 117 seats

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Sep 18 (UNI)The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday launched a 4,000-km anti-drug campaign across Punjab, covering all 117 Assembly constituencies, amid heightened political tensions following an alleged attack on senior party leader Ravneet Singh Bittu’s convoy hours before the campaign began.
BJP national president Nitin Nabin flagged off the first “Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra” from Madhopur in Pathankot district, beginning a 13-day campaign that will culminate in Jalandhar on September 30. union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to address the concluding rally, according to the party.
The BJP has planned four separate yatras beginning from Pathankot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilka and Talwandi Sabo. Together, they will traverse nearly 4,000 km and cover each of Punjab’s 117 assembly constituencies, making the campaign one of the party’s largest statewide outreach programmes ahead of the 2027 assembly election.
The party has also launched a helpline — 97149-02027 — as part of its anti-drug initiative.
Punjab BJP leaders say the campaign will focus not only on narcotics trafficking but also on rehabilitation of addicts and dismantling the financial and distribution networks behind the drug trade. The party has proposed an anti-drug intelligence grid involving police, central agencies, doctors, rehabilitation experts and social and religious organisations.
Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon said families affected by drug addiction wanted an end to the narcotics problem rather than government benefits.
“They are not asking for free schemes. They want a drug-free Punjab,” Dhillon said, referring to the families that BJP leaders had interacted with during the party’s campaign.
Dhillon accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of failing to curb the availability of narcotics and alleged that people who questioned the government over the issue were being targeted. The AAP government has said separately that it has intensified enforcement against drug trafficking.
The launch came hours after Bittu alleged that his cavalcade was attacked near Batala while he was travelling to Pathankot to attend the yatra.
Bittu said eggs, tomatoes, stones and other objects were hurled at his vehicles, damaging window panes of two escort vehicles and a jammer vehicle. He alleged that some people in the crowd were armed and blamed AAP supporters for the incident.
“If anything happens to me or those associated with me, the Punjab chief minister and the DGP will be responsible,” Bittu said, adding that he had informed the union Home Ministry about the incident.
AAP denied involvement. Party leader Joban Randhawa said its workers had been protesting peacefully and alleged that Bittu’s supporters had instead targeted them. The competing claims have not been independently established.
Dhillon condemned the incident and said it would not derail the anti-drug campaign.
“You cannot stop the BJP by throwing eggs,” he said, adding that the party would take its campaign against drugs across Punjab.
The second yatra will begin from Fatehgarh Sahib on September 19, followed by another from Fazilka on September 20 and the fourth from Talwandi Sabo on September 21. All four will eventually converge for the Jalandhar finale on September 30.
The BJP has described the campaign as focused on the drug crisis rather than electoral politics, though it comes months before Punjab is due to vote in the 2027 assembly election.
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BJP launches Punjab anti-drug yatra: Campaign to cover all 117 seats

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Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Sep 18 (UNI)The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday launched a 4,000-km anti-drug campaign across Punjab, covering all 117 Assembly constituencies, amid heightened political tensions following an alleged attack on senior party leader Ravneet Singh Bittu’s convoy hours before the campaign began.

see more..