Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor on Sunday, 30 August launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), accusing it of double standards over the drug menace — raising alarms about alleged drug sales in Delhi while staying silent on what he described as a far graver crisis in Punjab, where AAP governs.

BJP Dismisses AAP MLA's Allegation as a Publicity Stunt

The immediate trigger was a claim by AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar that Delhi Police was abetting the sale of drugs in the Kalyanpuri area of East Delhi. Kapoor dismissed the allegation outright, calling it a 'publicity stunt'. He argued that the MLA would do more good by directing his attention toward the open sale of drugs across Punjab under AAP's watch, rather than levelling what he termed politically motivated charges against Delhi Police.

'Sale of drugs is wrong, no matter where it is taking place, and the Delhi Police should be strict on this serious issue,' Kapoor said, 'but AAP leaders should first stop the sale of drugs on the streets of Punjab.'

The Punjab Countercharge

Kapoor's critique zeroed in on what he characterised as a pattern of selective outrage — AAP leaders, he argued, make unsubstantiated remarks about drug sales in Delhi neighbourhoods but rarely highlight the drug abuse problem in Punjab, a state they control. He said that had MLA Kuldeep Kumar invested as much effort in finding solutions as he does in politicising issues, conditions in Kalyanpuri would have improved meaningfully. This charge reflects the broader BJP strategy of holding AAP accountable for Punjab's governance record, particularly on the drug issue that was central to AAP's 2022 Punjab election campaign.

Mann Ki Baat Listened at 6,339 Locations Across Delhi

Separately on the same day, Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra led party members in tuning into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' — its 137th episode — at 6,339 locations across the city. Shahdara District President Deepak Gaba, State Minister Sardar Gurmeet Singh Sura, BJP Media Co-Incharge Pradeep Bhandari, and Delhi BJP Chief Spokesperson Anil Gupta joined Malhotra at Saini Enclave for the listening session.

BJP National Vice-President Baijayant Jay Panda attended a separate session at the Park Shed in Government Employees' Colony, Sector-3, Sadiq Nagar, alongside local Resident Welfare Association (RWA) members and party workers. MLA Neeraj Basoya and Municipal Councillor Anita Basoya were also present.

BJP Pledges Grassroots Anti-Drug Campaign

After the programme, Malhotra planted a sapling under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative. He said the 137th episode of Mann Ki Baat had given 'new energy and inspiration to crores of people in Delhi,' specifically citing Modi's focus on the theme of 'Drug-Free Youth, Drug-Free India.'

Malhotra announced that the Delhi BJP would carry this resolve to the grassroots, with awareness campaigns planned at every district, Assembly constituency, and booth level across the city. Seminars in schools and colleges, sports competitions, and youth gatherings are also proposed to channel young people toward 'sports, culture and service.' Whether the party follows through with a structured campaign or limits itself to symbolic gestures remains to be seen.