‘Has Punjab become nasha-mukt?’ Harbhajan hits back at AAP over drug videos row

After Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema contradicted a video of two drug addicts shared by Rajya Sabha MP and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, saying the men had been shot in Rajasthan and not in Punjab, the cricketer has shot back by posting more such videos and pictures on his social media account.

Rajya Sabha MP and BJP leader Harbhajan Singh hit back with a caption on his post that read: “Is this also a picture of Rajasthan? The discussion is about Punjab’s drug problem. This issue won’t be hidden by your paid trolls. Work will have to be done on this. Running away from responsibilities won’t yield a solution. The matter isn’t about targeting any specific individual. For anyone in Punjab and across the entire country who consumes narcotic substances, whatever efforts are made to free them from addiction should be carried out. Without trading barbs, the Punjab government should work on how to make Punjab drug-free.”

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Harbhajan also spoke to the media, retorting to AAP leaders who had taken him on: “I want Punjab to be free of drugs. I want to ask those objecting to that particular video if they can’t see such visuals in Punjab. I reside in Punjab and know the situation. If they think that Punjab has been made free of drugs, then they should come out and say so. The Punjab Government should rather focus on freeing Punjab from drugs instead of targeting individuals. If I do not speak on Punjab issues, there is no purpose in me being in Parliament. It is a serious issue and governments must work on it. On my part, I try to raise the issue from time to time so that Punjab becomes ‘nasha-mukt’. I will keep talking about it and encourage youth to take to sports.”

Harbhajan was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by AAP in 2022 but switched to BJP along with six other MPs in April this year.