3 weeks ago
Congress criticises Punjab AAP over copyright strikes, paddy, mining
Some leaders who are not in power talked to the Punjab state government about problems they think need fixing.
They said the government is stopping journalists and other leaders from speaking freely online.
They also said some small hotels near bus stops, railway stations and colleges are being used for bad things, like drugs and blackmail.
The leaders want the police to protect young people from these criminal networks.
Other leaders warned that the state may not have enough space to store the new paddy crop that farmers grow.
Much of last year's paddy is still sitting in storage because there are not enough trains to carry it away.
If the paddy cannot be collected, farmers could lose money and face hardship.
The leaders also said that sand is being dug illegally from rivers.
Money linked to this illegal digging was found during searches by a government agency.
The leaders asked the government to fix all of these problems quickly.
Congress MLA Pargat Singh accused Punjab's AAP government of gagging free speech by issuing copyright strikes against journalists and opposition leaders on social media.
Pargat alleged small hotels near bus stands, railway stations and colleges were used for drug trafficking and blackmail using secretly recorded videos of young people.
MLA Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa warned of a paddy procurement crisis, with 30-40% of last year's crop unmilled and only 4-5 of the needed 40-50 daily goods trains available.
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa demanded a House committee on illegal mining, citing NGT, ED and High Court observations.
ED searches of 16 locations on July 7, 2026 recovered nearly Rs 1.75 crore in cash and froze Rs 91.34 lakh in bank deposits linked to alleged illegal mining.
- Who
- Congress MLAs Pargat Singh and Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, challenging the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab
- What
- Allegations of copyright strikes gagging media and opposition, misuse of small hotels for drug trafficking and blackmail, a paddy storage and transport crisis, and large-scale illegal mining
- Where
- Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Punjab
- When
- Friday during Zero Hour in the Vidhan Sabha; Enforcement Directorate searches took place July 7, 2026
- Why
- To press the AAP government to protect free speech and young people, ensure smooth paddy procurement for farmers, and act against illegal mining
Key facts
- Legislature
- Punjab Vidhan Sabha
- Copyright strikes
- Allegedly issued against journalists and opposition leaders over social media content
- Unmilled paddy
- About 30-40% of last year's paddy still in storage
- Railway rakes
- 40-50 goods trains needed daily; only 4-5 received
- ED search date
- July 7, 2026
- Locations searched
- 16
- Cash recovered
- Nearly Rs 1.75 crore; deposits of Rs 91.34 lakh frozen
- Mining concerns
- NGT sought a fresh progress report on a bridge damaged over the Sutlej river; court termed mining across the Ravi river a national security risk
Quotes
Pargat Singh
Punjab Congress Member of Legislative Assembly
“In a democracy, the Opposition has the right to express itself. If the AAP says restrictions on Kejriwal’s accounts amount to an attempt by the BJP to silence the opposition, then the same principle should apply in Punjab.”
indianexpress.com











