The issue of drug trafficking received limited attention in the Haryana Assembly on Thursday, despite the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) making the promise of a “drug-free Punjab” a prominent part of its political campaign in the neighbouring state. The contrast has given the Opposition an opportunity to question the Haryana government’s approach to the drug problem. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has been campaigning in Punjab ahead of the 2027 Assembly election, promising that a BJP government would take strong action against the drug menace.

The issue surfaced during a discussion on law and order when INLD legislature party leader Aditya Devi Lal Chautala questioned why Saini did not address drugs in his response to the debate. Chautala asked whether the drug problem did not fall within the scope of law and order and alleged that the menace had spread extensively across Haryana. He claimed that drugs were being sold across villages and cities in the state and sought details of seizures and action taken against those involved in trafficking.

Chautala also raised allegations concerning the handling of seized narcotics, referring to an incident in Sirsa where he claimed police officials had allegedly removed opium from a seized consignment and sold it. The allegations were raised during the broader political debate over law and order in the state. The Opposition’s criticism focused on what it described as a gap between the seriousness of the drug problem and the attention given to it during the government’s response in the Assembly.

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Another INLD MLA, Arjun Chautala, questioned the government’s presentation of crime statistics, arguing that percentage-based reductions did not necessarily demonstrate an overall decline in crime. He also criticised the manner in which the figures were presented, remarking that the Chief Minister’s response appeared to have been prepared using ChatGPT and calling for officials to provide what he described as accurate figures. The exchange added to the Opposition’s broader criticism of the government’s handling of law-and-order data.

The controversy comes as the BJP has stepped up its anti-drug messaging at both the state and national levels. Saini has made the drug issue a key part of his campaign in Punjab, where the party is positioning itself ahead of the 2027 Assembly election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also launched the 100-week “Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat” campaign on August 2, giving the BJP’s anti-drug agenda a wider national focus.

The Haryana Assembly exchange has therefore created a political contrast that the Opposition is likely to highlight in the coming months. While the BJP is presenting the fight against drugs as a major electoral and governance issue in Punjab, the subject received little attention in the Chief Minister’s response during a Haryana law-and-order debate. The Opposition is now questioning whether the anti-drug campaign represents a broader governance priority or is being used primarily as a political issue in Punjab.

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