Sunil Jakhar Targets Punjab CM, Says ‘Step Out of Plane to See Drug Menace on Ground’ During Tarn Taran Campaign

November 8, 2025

Tarn Taran, Nov 8: In a sharp political attack during the Tarn Taran Assembly bypoll campaign, Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of being disconnected from ground realities, particularly regarding the state’s drug addiction crisis.

Jakhar made the statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), sharing his remarks after accompanying Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini during his visit to Tarn Taran district.

ਤਰਨ ਤਾਰਨ ਦੌਰੇ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਹਰਿਆਣਾ ਦੇ ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਨਾਇਬ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੈਣੀ ਜੀ ਨਾਲ ਜਦ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਗੱਲਬਾਤ ਕਰਨ ਪਹੁੰਚੇ ਤਾਂ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਇਹ ਡਰਾਉਣਾ ਸੱਚ ਤੇ ਬਿਆਨ ਕੀਤੀ ਨਸ਼ੇ ਦੀ ਅਸਲ ਹਕੀਕਤ।
ਕਾਸ਼, ਕੀਤੇ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਵੀ ਹਵਾਈ ਜਹਾਜ਼ ਛੱਡ ਕੇ ਆਮ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਵਿਚਰਦੇ ਤਾਂ ਇਹ ਸੱਚ ਜਾਣ ਸਕਦੇ।
ਪਰ, ਅਫਸੋਸ! ਨਸ਼ਾ ਸਾਡੇ ਜਵਾਨ… pic.twitter.com/AjyNr9xrTj

— Sunil Jakhar (@sunilkjakhar) November 8, 2025

‘Step Out of Aeroplane to Learn the Bitter Truth’: Jakhar

In his post, Sunil Jakhar said:

“During their visit to Tarn Taran, when Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini reached out to interact with the people, the locals revealed the frightening truth and stated the real situation of drug addiction. If only Punjab’s Chief Minister would leave his airplane and mingle with the common people, he could learn this bitter truth.”

Jakhar’s remark was seen as a direct jibe at CM Bhagwant Mann, implying that the Chief Minister has remained aloof from citizens and has failed to grasp the magnitude of Punjab’s narcotics problem.

Tarn Taran Bypoll Campaign Heats Up

The Tarn Taran Assembly by-election, scheduled for November 11, has turned into a high-stakes political battle. The seat, considered politically sensitive, falls in a region that has long struggled with drug abuse and smuggling across the Punjab border.

Top leaders from various political parties, including the BJP, AAP, Congress, and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) — have been campaigning intensively in the constituency.

Jakhar’s remarks come amid the BJP’s renewed push to highlight governance and law-and-order issues under the AAP government.

BJP Highlights Drug Problem as Core Poll Issue

During the campaign, BJP leaders have repeatedly accused the Punjab government of failing to tackle the drug menace, which continues to plague rural and border districts such as Tarn Taran, Amritsar, and Ferozepur.

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini, who visited the area alongside local BJP workers, reportedly heard firsthand accounts from villagers about how drug addiction is destroying families and youth.