Rahul Gandhi Slams Bhagwant Mann Government Over Parvinder Jhotha Murder Amid State-Wide Punjab Bandh

Amid widespread demonstrations and a coordinated shutdown across Punjab protesting the brazen daylight killing of anti-drug crusader Parvinder Singh Jhotha, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi launched an attack against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dispensation. In a public statement on Thursday, October 15, 2026, Gandhi alleged that speaking up against the illicit narcotics trade in Punjab has become a life-threatening gamble under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's governance. He argued that institutional apathy and inverted police priorities have created an environment where victims and whistleblowers are booked as criminals, emboldening organized drug syndicates across the state borderlands.Broad Daylight Shooting in Mansa: The Tragic Killing of Activist Parvinder Singh JhothaThe focal point of public outrage and political friction centers on the violent execution of a prominent grassroots activist in Mansa district:Murder Broadcast on Social Media: Parvinder Singh Jhotha, who spearheaded the localized "Stop Drugs, Provide Employment" campaign, was gunned down in broad daylight in Mansa, with chilling visuals of the confrontation captured on a Facebook Live broadcast.Persecution of the Whistleblower: Highlighting the systemic collapse, Gandhi noted that when Jhotha originally approached law enforcement to report narcotics operations, the state police registered cross-cases and named Jhotha himself in an FIR instead of dismantling the accused suppliers.Fueling Cartel Impunity: Questioning the administration's resolve, Gandhi asked how drug cartels could ever fear consequences when law enforcement mechanisms end up targeting the complainants rather than the distributors.Sangrur Cases Highlighted: Suicides, Retaliation, and Custodial Allegations in the CM's Home TurfBroadening his indictment, the Congress leader pointed to back-to-back incidents originating from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's native home district of Sangrur:Tragic Death of Laborer Gulzar Singh: In Sangrur, rural laborer Gulzar Singh directly flagged widespread narcotics availability in his village during a public engagement with a state minister. Family members allege that local pressure was exerted on him to tender an apology, pushing him into deep distress that culminated in him taking his own life.Custodial Torture Allegations in High Court: Gandhi also cited the case of Mohanjit Singh, another Sangrur resident who spoke out against regional drug networks. Mohanjit subsequently faced alleged police custodial torture, prompting an ongoing legal battle currently being heard by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.Direct Challenge to Bhagwant Mann: Congress Vows to Dismantle the Narcotics NexusThe worsening law-and-order friction has evolved into a full-scale political confrontation as trade unions, activists, and opposition parties hit the streets:Demanding Executive Accountability: Rahul Gandhi posed a direct question to the Chief Minister: "In a system where those seeking justice and lodging complaints are turned into accused persons, who will step forward to protect the citizens fighting against narcotics?"Escalating State-Wide Shutdown: The political confrontation unfolded against the backdrop of a tense Punjab Bandh, marked by clashes between demonstrators and market associations in commercial hubs like Ludhiana, alongside continued police raids in Faridkot where narcotics peddlers were apprehended amid civic commotion.Pledge Against the Drug Empire: Concluding his statement, Gandhi asserted that the Congress party will continue its campaign across every district, vowing not to rest until the organized drug mafia undermining the youth and future of Punjab is thoroughly uprooted.