States » NorthPosted at: Oct 22 2026 3:29PM


Punjab Assembly adjourns in nine minutes amid political storm over anti-drug activist’s murder

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Oct 22 (UNI) Punjab's six-day special Assembly session got off to a brief but politically charged start on Thursday, with the House adjourning after just nine minutes and six seconds following obituary references to slain anti-drug activist Parminder Singh Jhota and others, even as opposition parties stepped up pressure on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over the state's drug crisis.
The proceedings were adjourned until Friday after legislators paid tribute to Jhota, who was shot dead in Mansa on October 13, and eight MGNREGA workers killed in a road accident in Sangrur district.
The House observed a two-minute silence in memory of the deceased.
Outside the Assembly, BJP leaders joined family members of Lovepreet in a protest, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of failing to protect those speaking out against drug trafficking.
Police detained protesters and removed them from the area as tensions mounted ahead of the session.
Former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar questioned Mann's failure to meet the aggrieved family, drawing a sharp contrast with the government's decision to recommend a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Jhota's murder.
"Chief Minister, at least meet this family. Uphold the honour of your turban. If you can order a CBI investigation while travelling in an aircraft, why can't you meet them?" Jakhar said.
"We will keep coming to the Assembly until justice is delivered," he added.
The Congress also intensified its criticism of the government, with Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa accusing the ruling AAP of failing to check drug trafficking.
Bajwa had warned before the session that the opposition would not allow the government to conduct business without addressing its concerns.
Jhota's killing has become a major political flashpoint in Punjab, triggering protests and demands for accountability over the alleged nexus between drug traffickers and elements within the administration.
The CBI has registered a case and begun investigating the murder following the Punjab government's decision to transfer the investigation to the central agency.
The Assembly session, meanwhile, has several proposals on its agenda, including reopening the historic Silk Route for trade, renaming emergency wards in government hospitals after Bhai Ghanaiya Ji, and seeking transparency in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Five annual reports of state institutions and development authorities are also scheduled to be presented.
With the House set to reconvene on Friday, the government faces a potentially contentious session as opposition parties prepare to confront it over drug trafficking, public safety and the handling of Jhota's murder.
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