Amit Shah's Punjab visit puts drug crisis in focus

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Punjab on Tuesday to meet the families of three individuals whose deaths are connected to the drug crisis. This visit puts the issue of drugs in the spotlight, potentially emerging as a more pressing political concern in the state over traditional topics like panthic politics and farmers' concerns.

Shah will travel to Mansa, Sangrur, and Gurdaspur to pay respects to Parvinder Singh Jhota, Gulzar Singh, and Bikramjit Singh. The MHA had requested detailed reports from the Punjab government regarding these three cases. The circumstances surrounding each death are distinct. Jhota, an anti-drug activist from Mansa, was killed on October 13 after confronting a shop owner over the purported sale of addictive drugs.

Bikramjit's death in Gurdaspur is said to be linked to opposition to drug peddling, although the police have not found a drug-related motive and attributed it to a different dispute. Gulzar Singh, the father of a youth struggling with substance abuse, took his own life in September after confronting allegations and facing pressure before his demise.

The MHA has taken note of claims that Gulzar Singh faced harassment prior to his death. In Mansa, a protest against Jhota's death is ongoing, with the family demanding a CBI investigation. Bhim Singh, Jhota's father, intends to raise the demand with Shah, while a joint action committee has objected to Shah sharing the stage during the protest.

Political parties, including Waris Punjab De, Congress, BJP, and SAD, have seized upon the growing anger surrounding the drug crisis. The issue even played a role in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when Amritpal Singh, a Waris Punjab De leader, won the Khadoor Sahib seat by highlighting the need to keep youth away from drugs.

Panthic concerns, farmers' issues, and center-state relations have historically influenced Punjab elections. However, the drug crisis now has the potential to transcend these issues. Shah's visit, the ongoing protest in Mansa, and competing parties' attempts to claim ownership of the issue indicate that the drug crisis may become one of the defining political themes in the state.