'Attempt To Malign Punjab's Image': AAP Minister Slams Harbhajan Singh Over His 'Zombie Drug' Post
News india 'Attempt To Malign Punjab's Image': AAP Minister Slams Harbhajan Singh Over His 'Zombie Drug' Post 'Attempt To Malign Punjab's Image': AAP Minister Slams
News india 'Attempt To Malign Punjab's Image': AAP Minister Slams Harbhajan Singh Over His 'Zombie Drug' Post 'Attempt To Malign Punjab's Image': AAP Minister Slams Harbhajan Singh Over His 'Zombie Drug' Post Published By, Last Updated: August 11, 2026, 21:09 IST The controversy also drew a response from Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, who questioned why several BJP leaders appeared to amplify the same claim. File photo of BJP Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh (L) and screengrab from the video. (Source: X) A social media post by BJP MP Harbhajan Singh, featuring a video purportedly showing the impact of a “zombie drug" in Punjab, has triggered a political controversy after Punjab Police clarified that the footage was actually recorded in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar. The video showed two young men allegedly staggering along a roadside and was circulated as an example of Punjab’s drug problem. However, after the footage was flagged, Punjab Police clarified that it was not from Punjab but from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan.
Punjab Police Fact-Check Harbhajan Singh “The video being circulated is from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan—not Punjab—and has no connection with Punjab Police," the Punjab Police wrote on X in response to the Rajya Sabha MP’s post. The video being circulated is from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan—not Punjab—and has no connection with Punjab Police.A Punjabi audio track does not make an incident a Punjab incident. We urge users and social media accounts to verify the facts and location before posting… Punjab Police India (@PunjabPoliceInd) August 10, 2026 The clarification prompted Punjab leaders to hit back at the BJP and question the authenticity of the claims being made about the state’s drug crisis. Punjab Minister Dr Baljit Kaur accused the BJP of attempting to malign Punjab by presenting a video from Rajasthan as footage from the state. AAP Targets BJP The controversy also drew a response from Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, who questioned why several BJP leaders appeared to amplify the same claim.
Harbhajan Singh had shared the video while expressing concern over the drug situation in Punjab and questioning the government over the issue. However, the revelation about its actual location shifted the focus to the authenticity of the post and whether adequate verification had been carried out before sharing it. The controversy comes against the backdrop of Punjab’s long-running struggle with drug abuse. The state government has cited official figures showing that around 73,541 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act were registered and nearly 98,596 people were arrested between 2022 and 2026. The government has also highlighted its ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh’ campaign and initiatives such as ‘Pind De Pehredar’ and a mobile application aimed at increasing community participation in the fight against drugs. While the drug crisis remains a major political issue in Punjab, the latest controversy has shifted the debate towards the responsibility of political leaders to verify social media content before sharing it.
The BriefWire