Punjab AAP grills Congress chief Pargat Singh on drugs, sacrilege silence
Synopsis
Punjab AAP has opened its account against new Congress chief Pargat Singh with a pointed three-front attack: his silence on drugs and sacrilege during SAD years, a Supreme Court-nullified recruitment drive from his Education Ministry tenure, and a sports budget that AAP claims it has multiplied nearly twelvefold. It is an early signal that the ruling party intends to define Pargat Singh before he can define himself.
Key Takeaways
Punjab AAP publicly questioned State Congress President Pargat Singh on 3 October over his silence on drugs and sacrilege during his time with the Shiromani Akali Dal .
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema demanded Pargat Singh clarify which internal Congress faction on the sacrilege issue he now leads.
The recruitment of 1,158 Assistant Professors and Librarians during Pargat Singh's tenure as Education Minister was set aside by the Supreme Court for bypassing the Punjab Public Service Commission .
The sports budget under the previous government was approximately ₹147 crore ; the current AAP government has allocated ₹1,746 crore for sports in its latest budget.
AAP's offensive signals an early and aggressive strategy to challenge Punjab Congress's new leadership before it consolidates.
Punjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday, 3 October publicly challenged newly appointed State Congress President Pargat Singh, demanding he explain why he remained silent on the state's drug crisis and sacrilege incidents during his years with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and his subsequent tenure as Education and Sports Minister. The broadside signals an early and aggressive AAP offensive against Punjab Congress's new leadership.
Cheema's Direct Challenge
State Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema led the attack, stating that drugs and 'beadbi' (sacrilege) were among the most consequential political issues in Punjab during the Akali Dal (Badal)-BJP coalition's rule — yet Pargat Singh, as a member of that establishment, did not publicly raise his voice against either. 'The people of Punjab deserve to know why the new State Congress President remained silent on matters that deeply affected the state,' Cheema said.
Cheema also turned Pargat Singh's own statements against him, noting that the Congress chief had himself acknowledged the existence of two factions within the Congress on the sacrilege question — one seeking justice and another allegedly shielding the Badals. 'Today, as Congress President, Pargat Singh must tell Punjab which faction he is leading,' Cheema said.
Recruitment Controversy and the Supreme Court
The AAP finance minister also raised Pargat Singh's record as Education Minister, pointing to the recruitment of 1,158 Assistant Professors and Librarians that was carried out without routing it through the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) — despite objections urging adherence to established legal procedure. The recruitment was subsequently set aside by the Supreme Court, creating what Cheema described as 'serious uncertainty' for the young candidates who had participated in the process. 'Why were established procedures not followed? Pargat Singh must answer for the decisions taken during his tenure in the Education Department,' he said.
Sports Budget Under Scrutiny
While acknowledging Pargat Singh's decorated career as an Indian hockey player, Cheema drew a sharp distinction between his sporting legacy and his administrative record as Sports Minister. According to Cheema, the sports budget under the previous government stood at approximately ₹147 crore. By contrast, he said the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government has allocated ₹1,746 crore for sports in the current budget — a figure the ruling party is positioning as evidence of its own commitment to athletes.
Context and What Comes Next
Pargat Singh's elevation to the post of Punjab Congress President was seen as a move to revitalise an opposition party that has struggled to find its footing since its 2022 electoral rout. His profile as a celebrated sportsperson and a figure who has served in multiple political formations — SAD and Congress — makes him a complex target, but also gives AAP room to question his consistency. This comes amid an ongoing political battle over the narrative around Punjab's drug problem and unresolved sacrilege cases, both of which remain live electoral issues in the state. How Pargat Singh responds to these charges is likely to shape the early trajectory of his leadership.
Point of View
And forcing a new Congress chief to answer for Akali-era silence on them is a high-risk framing for him. What mainstream coverage underplays is the internal Congress contradiction Cheema exposed: Pargat Singh himself reportedly acknowledged two factions within his own party on the beadbi question. That admission, more than any AAP charge, may be the harder one to navigate.
NationPress
3 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Punjab AAP questioning Pargat Singh?
Punjab AAP is questioning newly appointed State Congress President Pargat Singh over his silence on the drug menace and sacrilege incidents during his association with the Shiromani Akali Dal and his tenure as Education and Sports Minister. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the people of Punjab deserve answers on why he did not publicly raise his voice on issues that deeply affected the state.
What is the sacrilege or 'beadbi' issue in Punjab politics?
The 'beadbi' (sacrilege) incidents refer to desecrations of religious scriptures in Punjab that became a major political flashpoint during the Akali Dal-BJP government's rule. The cases remain unresolved and politically sensitive, with competing claims about who protected the accused and who sought justice.
What happened with the recruitment of 1,158 Assistant Professors during Pargat Singh's tenure?
According to Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, the recruitment of 1,158 Assistant Professors and Librarians was carried out without routing it through the Punjab Public Service Commission despite objections, and the Supreme Court subsequently set it aside. Cheema said the episode created serious uncertainty for the young candidates involved.
How does the sports budget under AAP compare to the previous government?
Cheema stated that the sports budget under the previous government stood at approximately ₹147 crore, while the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government has allocated ₹1,746 crore for sports in the current budget. AAP cited the contrast to question Pargat Singh's record as Sports Minister despite his background as an accomplished hockey player.
Who is Pargat Singh and why does his appointment matter?
Pargat Singh is a former Indian hockey captain who has served in political roles under both the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Indian National Congress. His appointment as Punjab Congress President is widely seen as an attempt by the Congress to rebuild its presence in Punjab after its heavy defeat in the 2022 state assembly elections.
