3 weeks ago
Harbhajan Singh Hits Back Over Drug Menace After Police Fact-Check
Harbhajan Singh is a famous Indian cricketer who now works as a member of Parliament for the BJP party.
He is worried that drugs are hurting young people in Punjab, the state he cares about.
He shared a video online of two men acting strangely and said drugs had turned them into 'zombies.'
He asked the police and government to seriously tackle the drug problem and to 'save Punjab.'
But the Punjab Police said the video was not filmed in Punjab at all — it was from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan.
The police said people should check the facts and location before sharing such videos.
Harbhajan got upset and said the police were using 'paid trolls' to hide the real problem.
Leaders from the AAP government, which runs Punjab, said Singh was sharing false videos to make Punjab look bad.
They demanded an apology and said a legal case may follow.
Both sides agree that drugs are a serious problem in Punjab, but they don't agree about the video or who is to blame.
BJP MP and former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh called on all authorities to tackle Punjab's drug abuse problem.
Punjab Police fact-checked his earlier X post, saying the footage was from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, not Punjab.
Singh hit back, accusing the police of 'one-upmanship' and claiming their 'paid trolls' cannot hide the issue.
He shared a second video of men in a 'zombie-like state' and asked whether it too was a picture of Rajasthan.
AAP leaders said the BJP's 'IT machinery' spreads lies to malign Punjab, with Cheema adding that a legal proceeding will follow.
- Who
- Harbhajan Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and former India cricketer; Punjab Police; and Aam Aadmi Party leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Harpal Singh Cheema, and Baljit Kaur.
- What
- A political clash over videos Singh posted on X about drug abuse in Punjab, which police fact-checked as filmed in Rajasthan.
- Where
- Punjab, India; the disputed footage was from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan; Singh spoke to reporters in Delhi.
- When
- The first clip was posted Monday night and the second video on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
- Why
- Because of long-standing concern over drug abuse among Punjab's youth and a political blame game between the BJP and AAP over who is responsible.
Harbhajan Singh / BJP's Stance
Punjab Police / AAP Government's Stance
Origin of the video footage
Harbhajan Singh / BJP's Stance
The video reflects the drug crisis and its 'zombie effect' on Punjab's youth; 'Is this also a picture of Rajasthan? The discussion is about Punjab's drug problem.'
Punjab Police / AAP Government's Stance
The footage was shot in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, not Punjab; a Punjabi audio track does not make an incident a Punjab incident, and users should verify facts before sharing.
Handling of the drug menace
Harbhajan Singh / BJP's Stance
Authorities should focus on the issue rather than 'one-upmanship'; avoiding responsibility and 'paid trolls' cannot hide the problem.
Punjab Police / AAP Government's Stance
Police fact-checks correct misleading content; AAP ministers say Singh should encourage youth through sports instead of sharing misleading videos and demand an apology.
Who is responsible for the drug problem
Harbhajan Singh / BJP's Stance
Successive governments have deteriorated the state and let Punjab's youth down; the Punjab government should work on making Punjab drug-free.
Punjab Police / AAP Government's Stance
Cheema claims substance abuse spiked when the BJP-Akali Dal was in power until 2017, and that BJP's IT machinery presents other states' videos as Punjab incidents.
Key facts
- Main figure
- Harbhajan Singh, BJP MP and former India cricketer
- Platform
- X (formerly Twitter)
- Police fact-check
- Footage was from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, not Punjab
- Singh's accusation
- 'Paid trolls' and 'one-upmanship'; governments avoiding responsibility
- AAP response
- Accused BJP's 'IT machinery' of spreading lies and maligning Punjab
- Legal status
- Matter under investigation; legal proceeding will follow (Harpal Singh Cheema)
- Kejriwal allegation
- Questioned whether the PMO ordered the spread of the 'lie'
- Context
- Long-standing drug abuse concerns among Punjab's youth
Quotes
Harpal Singh Cheema
Punjab Minister of State for Home and Police
“"Is this also a picture of Rajasthan? The discussion is about Punjab’s drug problem," he said, apparently targeting the AAP government.”
indianexpress.com
“"Many BJP people spread this lie together yesterday. Did the order come from the PMO? Does the PMO spread lies?"”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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