Congress leaders on Saturday, 17 October launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, demanding Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's resignation on ethical grounds following the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota by a medical store owner in Mansa. Congress leaders argued that widespread lawlessness in the state is a direct consequence of a government that has failed to protect its people.

Congress Leaders Speak Out

Congress in-charge Sachin Pilot, speaking to reporters, said that the killing of Jhota — a man who raised his voice against drug abuse — was emblematic of a broader collapse of law and order in Punjab. 'A few days ago, a person was shot dead during a live stream. The person who raises their voice against drug abuse in Punjab or who works to expose the government is openly targeted and loses their life,' Pilot said.

Pilot added that there can be 'no greater failure of law and order than the current situation in Punjab,' and accused the state's Home Minister and Chief Minister of deflecting accountability by using 'derogatory language for the Opposition' rather than offering reassurance or ensuring justice.

Calls for Mann to Step Down

Pilot further demanded an end to the rampant use of 'chitta' — a common street name for heroin and synthetic drugs — in Punjab, describing the ongoing situation as one of open 'brutality.' 'The AAP government, which won with a huge majority, has not been able to do justice to the people of Punjab. The Chief Minister wasted his opportunity to serve the people of Punjab. He should step down from his position on ethical grounds,' Pilot said.

Congress MP: System Has Deeply Failed

Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla described Punjab as currently going through 'a dark phase,' and argued that citizens resort to taking the law into their own hands precisely because the administration sides with those who commit crimes. 'People raise their voices in anger for government attention, but the government helps those who commit crimes. That is why people take the law into their own hands. If the government had done its job, the home minister and the chief minister would have done their job, then the common masses wouldn't have to take the law into their own hands,' Aujla said.

Aujla went further, contending that a lack of fear of the police reflects a systemic collapse at every level of administration. 'Today they are attacking the police; it means there is no fear of the police, of the law. The responsible authorities, the bureaucrats, are not doing their work,' he said. He also alleged that the drug mafia is 'so deeply embedded in the system' that improvement is unlikely until the Chief Minister and Home Minister of Punjab personally take cognisance.

Context: The Killing That Triggered the Outcry

The immediate trigger for Saturday's political storm was the killing of Parvinder Singh Jhota, an anti-drug activist, allegedly by a medical store owner in Mansa, a district in southern Punjab. The killing drew widespread attention, reportedly occurring in a manner that underscored the brazenness of violence against those who challenge the state's drug crisis. This comes amid a series of high-profile law-and-order incidents in Punjab that critics argue reflect a deepening governance crisis under the AAP administration.

What Comes Next

The AAP government in Punjab has not yet formally responded to the Congress demands as of Saturday. Political observers note that calls for Bhagwant Mann's resignation are unlikely to succeed given AAP's comfortable legislative majority, but the pressure could force the state government to demonstrate concrete action on drug enforcement and activist protection. The case of Parvinder Singh Jhota is expected to intensify scrutiny of Punjab's anti-drug policy framework in the weeks ahead.