Sachin Pilot leads Congress protest in Chandigarh, demands Punjab FM Cheema's resignation
Synopsis
Punjab Congress, unified under new in-charge Sachin Pilot, stormed Chandigarh demanding Finance Minister Harpal Cheema's resignation over a Dalit farmer's suicide — and was met with water cannons. The protest spotlights two combustible issues at once: a named minister in a dying declaration with no FIR filed, and AAP's unfulfilled promise to eradicate drugs within three months of taking power.
Key Takeaways
Sachin Pilot , newly appointed AICC General Secretary in-charge for Punjab , led a mass march in Chandigarh on 15 September 2026 .
Congress demanded the resignation of Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema over alleged abetment of Dalit farmer Gulzar Singh's suicide.
Police deployed water cannons to stop marchers; senior leader Kuljit Nagra was among those reportedly injured.
Congress pressed for registration of an FIR , citing Cheema's alleged naming in Gulzar Singh's dying declaration.
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring , Partap Singh Bajwa , and former CM Charanjit Singh Channi jointly attacked the AAP government, calling it the worst administration in Punjab's recent history.
Pilot reminded AAP of Kejriwal's pledge to eliminate drugs within three months; nearly five years into AAP rule, synthetic drug 'chitta' is allegedly available on home delivery.
Sachin Pilot, newly appointed All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and in-charge for Punjab, led the party's entire state leadership and thousands of workers in a march on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, towards the residence of Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema in Chandigarh, demanding his resignation over alleged abetment of the suicide of a Dalit farmer, Gulzar Singh. The protest marked a rare show of unity within a Punjab Congress that has been publicly fractured for much of the past two years.
Police Block March, Water Cannons Deployed
A heavy contingent of police intercepted the protest convoy before it could reach Cheema's residence, deploying water cannons to disperse the marchers. Several Congress workers sustained injuries from the force of the cannons, including senior leader Kuljit Nagra, according to reports from the scene. The confrontation drew sharp criticism from Congress leaders present, who accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of using state machinery to shield its ministers.
Pilot's Case Against Finance Minister Cheema
Addressing the gathering, Pilot clarified that the Congress had no personal animus against the Finance Minister, but pressed a pointed legal argument: when a person names a minister in his dying declaration, he said, the law demands the registration of a first information report (FIR) and a thorough probe. He said the absence of such action was itself an indictment of the AAP government's intentions. Pilot described Gulzar Singh's death as symptomatic of the ground reality in Punjab — a state where, he alleged, a poor Dalit was compelled to take his own life simply for raising questions about the free availability of synthetic drugs, to which his son had reportedly fallen victim.
Congress Targets AAP on Drugs and Dalit Promises
Pilot reminded AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal of his pre-election pledge that drugs would be eliminated within three months of the party forming government in Punjab. He said that after nearly five years of AAP rule, the synthetic drug known locally as 'chitta' had become so easily accessible that home delivery was allegedly available. He also held AAP to account on its promise of appointing a Dalit Deputy Chief Minister, contrasting that unfulfilled commitment with the plight of Dalits like Gulzar Singh who, he said, were driven to desperation under the current regime.
Unified Front from Punjab Congress Leadership
The protest was notable for the rare presence of the party's top Punjab figures on a single stage. Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi all addressed the crowd, collectively labelling the Bhagwant Mann-led administration the most damaging government in the state's recent history. The leaders said Mann had proved to be the most disastrous Chief Minister the state had seen. Pilot thanked party workers for mobilising at short notice and pledged that he, as the party high command's representative, would lead every struggle for justice without holding back.
What Comes Next
Congress has not yet announced a formal legal or parliamentary strategy following the protest, but Pilot vowed to leave no stone unturned in seeking justice. The demand for an FIR against Finance Minister Cheema is expected to be escalated to the Punjab and Haryana High Court if the government does not act, though no timeline has been officially stated. The protest puts fresh pressure on the AAP government ahead of what is shaping up to be a politically charged legislative session.
Point of View
However, is the legal pressure point Pilot is building: a dying declaration allegedly naming a sitting minister, with no FIR. If that framing gains traction in courts or among voters, it is far harder for AAP to dismiss than a street protest. The rare unity on display — Warring, Bajwa, and Channi on the same stage as Pilot — is itself a story: it suggests the party high command has used this crisis to force a reset. Whether that unity survives beyond a single protest is the question Punjab Congress has failed to answer for years.
NationPress
15 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Congress demanding Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema's resignation?
Congress is demanding Harpal Cheema's resignation over alleged abetment of the suicide of Dalit farmer Gulzar Singh , who reportedly named the minister in his dying declaration. The party argues that the law requires an FIR and investigation whenever a public official is named in such a declaration, and the absence of police action amounts to cover-up.
Who is Sachin Pilot and what is his role in Punjab Congress?
Sachin Pilot is a senior Congress leader recently appointed as AICC General Secretary and party in-charge for Punjab. He led Tuesday's protest in Chandigarh as the formal representative of the Congress high command for the state.
What happened during the protest in Chandigarh on 15 September 2026?
Thousands of Congress workers led by Pilot marched towards Finance Minister Cheema's residence in Chandigarh but were stopped by a heavy police deployment. Water cannons were used to disperse the crowd, injuring several workers including senior leader Kuljit Nagra .
What is the 'chitta' drug issue that Congress raised at the protest?
'Chitta' is a synthetic drug that has become a major social crisis in Punjab. Congress leaders cited it to challenge AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal's pre-election promise that drugs would be eliminated within three months of the party forming government — a promise they say remains unfulfilled after nearly five years of AAP rule, with the drug allegedly now available on home delivery.
Who else from Punjab Congress leadership participated in the protest?
State president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring , Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa , and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi all addressed the protest, presenting a united front that observers noted was rare for a party that has been publicly divided in recent years.
