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Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Chandigarh visit comes amid rising drug menace, shootings, gangster violence and attacks on religious places in Punjab, ahead of 2027 Assembly elections.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Chandigarh on October 31, ahead of the November 1 Police Raising Day parade, against the backdrop of growing public anger over Punjab’s drug crisis and deteriorating law and order situation. His visit came barely 11 days after his October 20 visit to Punjab, during which he met the families of three people whose deaths have been linked to the state’s drug menace.
The October 20 visit was his third to poll-bound Punjab since March and his second in 20 days, following a September 30 rally in Jalandhar that marked the culmination of the BJP’s anti-drug campaign. During his visit, he will present the President’s Police Colour to the force at a ceremonial parade at the Sector 26 Police Lines.
He will also inaugurate completed development projects and lay foundation stones for new infrastructure works worth around Rs 258 crore to Rs 262 crore, including a government high school in Sarangpur and a bus depot at Raipur Kalan. The projects also include a pedestrian underpass connecting Panjab University and PGIMER, police housing, a new police station and security check posts.
Shah is expected to arrive in Chandigarh on the evening of October 31 and stay in Panchkula overnight before attending the November 1 events. The repeated visits have put the Bhagwant Mann government under renewed pressure, with the BJP making drugs and law and order central issues ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Recent Incidents in Punjab In Amritsar, gunfire erupted near Taara da Pul close to Panj Peer Dargah, leaving two young men targeted in an attack. The incident added to concerns over the growing frequency of shootings and gang-related violence in the state. Recent firing incidents at gurdwaras in Jagraon have also triggered alarm among the Sikh community.
Attacks at religious places have raised questions about the safety of places of worship and the ability of the police to prevent such incidents. The state has also witnessed grenade attacks targeting police establishments, while the murders of kabaddi players have added to the perception of growing insecurity.
The incidents have fuelled allegations that gangster networks and organised crime continue to pose a serious challenge to Punjab’s law enforcement agencies. The drug crisis has also raised questions about police accountability. In Budhlada, a police employee was allegedly caught consuming chitta at ITI Chowk.
Pictures showing him with an ASI and other police personnel surfaced, while he reportedly admitted that the substance belonged to him. The incident triggered public outrage and raised questions about the effectiveness of the government’s anti-drug campaign. The allegations have added to the criticism of the Mann government, which has repeatedly claimed that it is committed to making Punjab drug-free.
Opposition parties have argued that the availability of narcotics and the alleged involvement of people within the law enforcement system expose the gaps in the government’s campaign. The BJP has accused the AAP government of failing to dismantle drug networks and protect ordinary citizens. Shah’s repeated visits have amplified the party’s campaign against the Mann government, with the Home Minister raising concerns over drug trafficking, gangsterism and organised crime.
The AAP government, meanwhile, has defended its anti-drug campaign and accused the Centre of politicising the issue. It has also pointed to drug seizures and action against traffickers, arguing that the Centre must take responsibility for curbing the entry of narcotics into the country.