Congress Punjab in-charge Sachin Pilot on Tuesday, 15 September led a protest march in Chandigarh against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, demanding the resignation of Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema over the alleged suicide of Gulzar Singh, a resident of Sangrur. Pilot accused the AAP administration of being 'completely disconnected from people' and of suppressing dissent through force.

Background: The Gulzar Singh Case

Gulzar Singh had publicly questioned Finance Minister Cheema over the prevalence of 'chitta' — a term commonly used for drugs — in his village. He allegedly consumed poison after claiming he faced pressure and intimidation following that public confrontation. The case has reignited Punjab's long-running crisis around drug availability and political accountability.

What Sachin Pilot Said

Addressing reporters, Pilot said: 'The Finance Minister (Cheema) is responsible for this, and he has been named by Gulzar Singh. It was the government's responsibility to order an inquiry and register an FIR. But so much pressure was put on him (Gulzar Singh)...this government has now become completely disconnected from people. It is not concerned about the entire situation of drugs and chitta across Punjab.'

The Congress leader further alleged that the AAP government attempted to suppress the protest by deploying baton charges and water cannons. 'They won't be able to suppress the voice of the people of Punjab,' he said. In a veiled attack on AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Pilot said: 'You rule from Delhi and Chandigarh, but the people here are suffering...it is not possible to carry out the business of drugs without the government knowing about it.' He alleged that 'police, administration and senior leaders are involved in this.'

Congress Demands Action Against Cheema

Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa echoed the demand for accountability, saying: 'An FIR has been registered against the sarpanch (of Gulzar Singh's village), but not against the Minister. We want the Minister to be arrested and immediately removed from the ministry.'

Pilot also broadened his criticism to include the Centre, accusing it of delayed action on drug trafficking. 'They should first go to the border areas and undertake the campaign in Gujarat and Rajasthan as all the drugs are being brought from there. Nobody is concerned about the youth; all they care for is votes,' he said.

Wider Context: Punjab's Drug Crisis

The protest comes amid persistent concerns over drug abuse in Punjab, particularly in districts bordering Pakistan and along smuggling corridors. Critics argue that successive state governments — including the current AAP dispensation, which came to power in 2022 on an explicit anti-drug platform — have struggled to make verifiable headway. The alleged death of Gulzar Singh, who had tried to flag the issue through institutional channels, has given the opposition a focal point to challenge AAP's foundational promise. With assembly byelections periodically reshaping Punjab's political arithmetic, the Congress will likely press this issue as a sustained campaign rather than a one-day demonstration.