CM Dhami promises Punjab drug crackdown if BJP wins
Synopsis
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, campaigning in Punjab, promised strict anti-drug enforcement and trafficking crackdowns under a potential BJP government, invoking PM Modi's national narcotics drive and the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan ahead of the 2027 state polls.
Key Takeaways
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami promised tough drug-trade action in Punjab if BJP forms the next state government.
The pledge covers crackdowns on traffickers, strict enforcement against the drug trade, and expanded youth-focused outreach.
Former Union Minister of State Som Parkash , MLA Jangi Lal Mahajan , and BJP district president Sanjeev Minhas were present at the event.
Dhami anchored his statement in PM Narendra Modi's national anti-narcotics leadership and the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan launched in 2020 .
Punjab assembly elections are due in 2027 , and BJP is building its anti-drug narrative well in advance.
With Punjab's political battle already taking shape, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday, September 26, pledged sweeping anti-drug action in Punjab should the BJP form a government there — framing the fight against narcotics as a centrepiece of the party's pitch to voters in the border state.
Dhami's Punjab pledge: crackdown, seizures, and youth outreach
Speaking at an event attended by former Union Minister of State Som Parkash, MLA Jangi Lal Mahajan, and BJP district president Sanjeev Minhas, Dhami said a BJP government in Punjab would deliver 'nasha ke karobar ke khilaf kathor karvai' — tough action against the drug trade — alongside a tightening noose on traffickers and stepped-up efforts to keep the state's youth away from narcotics. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'strong leadership' for already steering a 'decisive national battle' against drugs.
The gathering — with imagery from four photographs posted on X — signals that senior BJP leaders from outside Punjab are actively mobilising in the state, lending weight to what could otherwise be read as routine electoral messaging.
Nasha Mukt Bharat and the NDPS backdrop
Dhami's remarks land against a well-established policy backdrop. The central government's Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, has targeted drug demand reduction through awareness drives and rehabilitation across high-burden districts — several of which fall in Punjab. Simultaneously, enforcement under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been a consistent BJP talking point when contrasting central resolve with state-level governance.
Punjab's drug crisis — long embedded in public consciousness and political debate — makes the issue unusually potent as an electoral lever. The state shares a long border with Pakistan, a corridor through which synthetic drugs and heroin have flowed for decades. Any government in Chandigarh must grapple with both demand and supply simultaneously.
The 2027 Punjab assembly election in sight
Punjab assembly elections are due in 2027, and the BJP — which does not currently hold power in the state — is evidently building its narrative early. Deploying a chief minister from a neighbouring state, alongside a local former Union minister in Som Parkash, projects organisational depth and signals that the party's anti-drug promise carries federal backing, not just local rhetoric.
For Punjab's youth — the demographic most visibly scarred by the drug crisis — the next eighteen months will determine whether such pledges translate into a credible electoral alternative. Dhami has placed the bet. Punjab will decide the stakes.
Point of View
Appeals across class lines, and ties state-level ambition directly to the BJP's central government record under the NDPS Act and the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. With the 2027 Punjab polls still over a year away, this kind of multi-tier mobilisation — centre, state, and district leadership in one frame — suggests the party is treating Punjab as a genuine target rather than a symbolic contest. Whether the promise resonates will depend on whether voters see it as policy depth or campaign decoration.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did CM Dhami promise about drugs in Punjab?
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami promised that if BJP forms a government in Punjab, it will take strict action against the drug trade, tighten the noose on traffickers, and accelerate efforts to keep youth away from narcotics.
When are the next Punjab assembly elections?
Punjab assembly elections are due in 2027. BJP leaders, including CM Dhami, have already begun building their electoral narrative around issues like drug enforcement ahead of those polls.
What is the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan?
Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan is a central government scheme launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It focuses on reducing drug demand among youth through awareness campaigns and rehabilitation programmes, with a focus on high-burden districts.
Who is Som Parkash and why was he at the Punjab event?
Som Parkash is a former Union Minister of State representing BJP from Punjab. His presence alongside CM Dhami at the political event underlines the party's effort to show federal-level support for its Punjab campaign.
Why is drug trafficking a major issue in Punjab elections?
Punjab shares a long border with Pakistan, which has historically been a corridor for heroin and synthetic drug smuggling. The state's drug crisis has deeply affected its youth population, making anti-drug policy a high-stakes electoral issue for all parties contesting Punjab polls.
