➖ ECI’s joint statement has exposed Congress’ ‘manufactured controversy’: Kewal Singh Dhillon
➖ Opposition’s allegations of collusion between ECI and BJP were highly immature, says Punjab BJP president, adding that India’s democracy remains protected
➖ Opposition should instead cooperate with authorities in ensuring accurate, updated electoral rolls: Dhillon
Chandigarh, September 27:Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party president Kewal Singh Dhillon on Sunday slammed the Congress-led opposition for its ‘manufactured controversy’ and ‘deliberate’ campaign to create doubts about the Election Commission of India (ECI), and said that the poll panel’s latest joint statement had exposed the allegations being levelled against it over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
While addressing a press conference at Chandigarh on Sunday, Dhillon said, “The Commission’s clarification had made it clear that decisions relating to SIR and other major operational matters were taken with the approval of all three Election Commissioners. The ECI, after a full meeting on September 26, made it clear that its decisions on the electoral roll revision exercise were unanimous. The Commission has also maintained that the SIR orders issued since June 24, 2025, had the approval of the full Commission, refuting all baseless allegations of the opposition party.”
“The Congress and its allies have once again been exposed. They tried to manufacture a controversy around the Election Commission and create an impression of a division within a constitutional institution. The Election Commission’s own clarification has demolished this narrative. Congress must stop using constitutional institutions as political targets simply because the facts do not suit its narrative,” Dhillon said.
➖ ‘Congress’ allegations on electoral-roll decisions were clearly misleading’
He said the clarification regarding the communication sent to the Cabinet Secretary was equally significant. “According to the ECI, the letter concerned an internal administrative matter relating to an officer on deputation and had no connection with Commission policy, its IT division or the SIR exercise. Attempts to link the communication with electoral-roll decisions were clearly misleading”, he added.
“The politics of suspicion cannot replace facts. Differing questions or suggestions during an institutional decision-making process are not the same thing as a disagreement over the final decision. The Election Commission has already clarified that operational inputs raised during the drafting process were part of normal deliberations and that final decisions were unanimous,” Dhillon said.
‘Opposition’s allegations on collusion between ECI and BJP were immature. India’s democracy remains protected’
“Various opposition parties and the Congress Party in particular had launched an attack on the ECI and the BJP. The opposition not only alleged collusion between ECI and the BJP, but also alleged that India’s democracy has been compromised. These were highly immature allegations. The opposition should instead encourage eligible citizens to participate in the electoral process and cooperate with the authorities in ensuring accurate and updated electoral rolls. The ECI has also said that outreach efforts are being undertaken to facilitate enrolment and voter participation, including through field-level officials”, Dhillon further added.
Dhillon accused the Congress of repeatedly attempting to undermine public confidence in constitutional institutions whenever political narratives do not go in its favour. “The opposition had previously raised questions about electoral machinery, the Election Commission and other institutions and was now attempting to turn an administrative and procedural issue into a political controversy. Political parties have every right to question decisions and seek clarification, but spreading unverified allegations against institutions responsible for conducting elections is not in the interest of democracy,” he concluded.
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👉 Mann and Kejriwal responsible for rampant drug menace in Punjab: Shagun Parihar
👉 If CM Mann himself attends the Assembly after allegedly consuming alcohol, how can he be expected to take strict action against the drug menace? — Parihar
Mukerian / Chandigarh, September 27:Shagun Parihar, BJP’s youngest MLA from Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir, targeted the Punjab government and the Aam Aadmi Party, saying that Arvind Kejriwal had betrayed the people of Punjab. She alleged that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had given drug smugglers a free hand. She said the situation here has become so bad that there is no guarantee that a person who goes to sleep at night will wake up safely in the morning, or that someone who steps out of their home will return safely. She made these remarks while addressing a rally in Mukerian on the eighth day of the BJP’s Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra.
Punjab BJP General Secretary Parminder Brar, BJP district president Sanjeev Minhas, Yatra convenor Meenu Sethi, Rakesh Sharma, Mahant Rajgiri, Ajay Kaushal Sethu, Raghunath Rana, Shammi Vashisht, Arunesh, Sunil Dutt Sehgal and Vinod Mithu, along with several BJP leaders, workers and residents, were present on the occasion.
She said that Chief Minister Mann himself reaches the Assembly after consuming liquor and, in such a situation, expecting him to take strict action against drugs is meaningless. Referring to the killing of her father and uncle by terrorists, she said that there was a time when terrorists used to roam freely on the streets of Jammu and Kashmir, and those who raised their voices against them were shot dead in broad daylight. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah made the impossible possible by abrogating Article 370.
Today, Kashmir is witnessing discussions about change, prosperity, tablets in the hands of young people, and employment. She said that Punjab must now also be transformed, and for this, people must support Modi and Shah.
During the rally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme was also heard.
👉 Bodies of sarpanches speaking out against drugs are being found: Sampla
Senior BJP leader Vijay Sampla said that drugs are being sold from house to house today, with even home delivery taking place. He alleged that, with the government’s patronage, the bodies of sarpanches who raise their voices against drugs are being found.
👉 Public awareness against drugs: Ashwani Sharma
Pathankot MLA and former Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma said that the Yatra is aimed at saving Punjab’s youth and creating public awareness against drugs.
👉 Drug smugglers have only four months left: Jangi Lal Mahajan
Mukerian MLA Jangi Lal Mahajan said that as soon as the BJP comes to power, drug smugglers will be put behind bars. He said that drug smugglers have only four months left.
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UP model needed to save Punjab’s youth from drugs: Brajesh Pathak
👉 Bhagwant Mann government has failed to take effective action against the drug network: Brajesh Pathak
Samana: September 27-If Punjab is to be saved from drug smugglers, the Uttar Pradesh model will have to be implemented here. The government led by Yogi Adityanath took action against gangsters and organised crime through the Gangster Act, property seizures and other legal provisions. Today, gangsters tremble there. Punjab now also needs a government that will take similarly stringent action against drug smugglers. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Brajesh Pathak said this in Sunam on Sunday. He was addressing a rally there during the BJP’s Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra.
On Sunday, rallies were held in Lehragaga, Shutrana and Samana. Sangrur district BJP president Daman Bajwa, Yatra convenor Dayal Singh Sodhi, Somnath, Ram Dahiya, Suresh Rathi, former BJP president Amritraj Chattha, Prem Juglani, Kulbhushan, Rishipal, Hardeep Singh and several other leaders were present on the occasion.
Pathak targeted Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal over the issue of drugs in Punjab. He said that young people were losing their lives due to drugs in Punjab and families were being ruined. Pathak said that the state must focus on identifying the drug network, breaking the supply chain, seizing the proceeds of drugs and rehabilitating victims of drug abuse.
Pathak said that the Punjab government had made several claims about taking action against drugs, but the situation on the ground remained concerning. The reality, he said, was that the Bhagwant Mann government had failed to take effective action against the drug network, and Kejriwal should also take responsibility for it.
👉 This is a journey to bring Punjab out of its difficult times: Kewal Singh
Former Member of Parliament Kewal Singh said that this Yatra is a journey to bring Punjab out of its difficult times. He said that only the BJP can restore Punjab’s lost glory.
👉 People have lost faith in this government: Daman Bajwa
On this occasion, BJP district president Daman Bajwa said that people had lost faith in the present state government. They had realised that they had been subjected to a major betrayal. She alleged that this government was standing with drug smugglers.
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👉 AAP Has Ruined Punjab: Ajay Tamta
👉 Drugs are being sold in Punjab with the patronage of the AAP government: Ajay Tamta
👉 Once the BJP forms the government in the state, we will eradicate drugs and make Punjab ‘Rangla Punjab’: Ajay Tamta
Jagraon, September 27:Addressing a rally at Kaunke Kalan village in Jagraon tehsil during the BJP’s ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’, Union Minister of State Ajay Tamta said that the Aam Aadmi Party has ruined Punjab. Speaking about the drug menace in Punjab, he alleged that drugs are being sold in the state with the patronage of the AAP government and that the government has failed miserably to rein in drug traffickers. He said that drugs are easily available in every village, street and locality.
Senior BJP leaders Geja Ram Balmiki, Amrik Singh Aliwal, Ranjan Kamra, Amarjit Singh Amri, Anil Sachar and Harmandeep Singh were also present on the occasion. Women and families who had lost their sons, husbands and other relatives to drugs were also present at the rally.
👉 Deadline to eradicate drugs extended six times
The Union Minister said that during the 2022 Assembly elections, Arvind Kejriwal had promised the people of Punjab that drugs would be eradicated from the state within three months of the Aam Aadmi Party forming the government. He said that despite the AAP government setting deadlines on six occasions, drugs have not been eradicated from Punjab. Instead, he alleged, it is to be sold openly, while young people across the drug-affected state continue to lose their lives.
The Union Minister said that the pain of families who have lost their loved ones to drugs is extremely distressing.
👉 We will not rest until drugs are eradicated
He alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party, despite claiming to champion nationalism, was presiding over the deterioration of Punjab and enjoying the benefits of power at the expense of the state. He said that if the BJP forms the government in Punjab, it will work to eradicate the drug menace and restore the state’s identity as ‘Rangla Punjab’.
He said the BJP had taken up the responsibility of fighting the drug menace in Punjab and would continue its efforts until the state is free from drugs.
👉 Rehabilitation of youth along with eradication of drugs
Speaking on the occasion, former Member of Parliament Amrik Singh Aliwal said that the BJP fulfils whatever promises it makes. Similarly, after the formation of a double-engine government in Punjab, the BJP will make Punjab drug-free and rehabilitate young people who give up drugs.
He said that the mission announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to launch a fight against drugs would begin from Punjab and that Punjab would certainly become drug-free.