Punjab witnessed a heated political and media storm on Sunday after newspaper deliveries were delayed across several districts due to police checking vehicles carrying print consignments. The development prompted accusations of censorship against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, with opposition parties alleging an attempt to control the press. The incident comes amid heightened political tension over reports referring to an alleged “Sheesh Mahal 2.0,” linked to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s reported accommodation in Punjab. Police personnel reportedly stopped and inspected newspaper delivery vehicles during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, triggering public concern and widespread criticism from political leaders and media bodies.

Punjab Police later clarified that the inspections were part of heightened security measures based on specific intelligence inputs, particularly related to cross-border smuggling threats and drone-linked activities following Operation Sindoor. Officials stated that checks were supervised by gazetted officers and conducted “in an orderly manner” without intent to inconvenience the public or target media distribution. The force emphasised that the state remains vulnerable to attempts by anti-national elements backed by Pakistan’s ISI, necessitating rigorous internal security checks, including on vehicles transporting goods across districts.

Opposition parties, however, dismissed the police explanation, accusing the state government of using security as a pretext to muzzle the press. Congress leaders Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Partap Singh Bajwa termed the incident a “chilling attack” on press freedom, while Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged that the checks were an attempt to silence criticism against the ruling AAP. The BJP went further, calling it an “undeclared emergency” and linking the move directly to media scrutiny over the alleged luxury residence arrangement for Kejriwal, which the AAP has dismissed as false propaganda.

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In defence, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann maintained that the accommodation in question functions as a government facility and his camp office, rejecting allegations of impropriety. Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Press Club condemned the stopping of newspaper vehicles in districts including Gurdaspur, Patiala, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur, calling it harassment and an attack on the freedom of the press. The guild urged the state government to ensure unhindered newspaper distribution and reaffirm its commitment to democratic values. The controversy has intensified scrutiny of the government’s handling of media rights at a time when political rhetoric around governance and transparency continues to escalate in Punjab.

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