The death of a 47-year-old Dalit daily-wage worker in Punjab’s Sangrur has triggered a fierce political battle, with the Congress and BJP targeting the Aam Aadmi Party government over allegations that the man was humiliated and subjected to caste-based abuse after raising questions about the state’s drug menace.
Gulzar Singh died on Monday night after allegedly consuming poison, days after he questioned Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema during an event in his area on September 6.
His family has alleged that Gulzar was pressured to apologise and subjected to casteist abuse following his public questioning of the minister. Police have registered a case of alleged abetment to suicide and invoked provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The allegations have triggered demands for action against Cheema, while the Punjab government has ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also taken cognisance of the matter.
Rahul Gandhi Demands Harpal Cheema’s Resignation
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has launched a direct attack on the Bhagwant Mann government, describing Gulzar’s death as part of what he called a “dangerous pattern”.
Gandhi alleged that Gulzar was “tortured and humiliated” after asking why the government had failed to stop the drug trade.
“The government’s job is to answer to the people, not to crush those who ask questions. May Gulzar Singh ji’s family get justice as soon as possible. The Chief Minister should immediately demand the Finance Minister’s resignation and ensure an independent and impartial investigation, with his name registered in the FIR,” Gandhi wrote on X.
Gandhi also shared a video purportedly showing Gulzar’s final moments.
In the video, Gulzar is heard questioning Cheema about the alleged availability of “chitta”, a term commonly used for heroin, in the area. He also reportedly said that his son was consuming the drug and blamed the village sarpanch for his situation.
Bhagwant Mann Fires Back at Rahul Gandhi
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann swiftly rejected the Congress attack and accused Rahul Gandhi of attempting to gain political mileage from the tragedy.
“Rahul Gandhi ji, don’t do politics over dead bodies; Punjabis don’t like this kind of politics,” Mann wrote on X.
The Punjab Chief Minister claimed that the drug problem in the state had developed under previous Congress and Akali Dal-BJP governments.
Mann also said that police had already arrested the accused based on identification by the victim’s family.
“The Akali, BJP, and Congress governments have been responsible for spreading drugs in Punjab. In my government, no drug smuggler will be spared,” he said.
BJP Takes Protest to the Streets
The BJP has also intensified its attack on the AAP government, organising protests at several locations and demanding action against Cheema.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Gulzar had raised the issue of “chitta” during Cheema’s visit and had told the minister that his son was consuming the drug.
Bhatia further alleged that after the minister left, the village sarpanch went to Gulzar’s home and demanded that he apologise for his remarks.
“When the protector turns predator, he has no right to remain in office. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann must immediately resign from his post,” Bhatia said.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh also demanded Cheema’s dismissal and called for an abetment-to-suicide case, alleging that law and order and democracy had “completely collapsed” under the AAP government.
Five Named in FIR, Three Arrested
Following a complaint filed by Gulzar’s son, police registered a case naming village sarpanch Baljinder Kaur, her husband Baljit Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Vicky Singh and Ganna Singh.
The FIR includes charges relating to alleged abetment to suicide and provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Police have arrested three of the accused, including Baljinder Kaur and Baljit Singh.
The complaint alleges that Gulzar was humiliated and subjected to casteist slurs. It further states that Baljit Singh allegedly called Gulzar on September 7 and asked him to apologise at a panchayat meeting.
Gulzar subsequently consumed a poisonous substance, with his family alleging that he was unable to bear the humiliation.
The allegations are being investigated and have not been established in court.
Punjab Forms Four-Member SIT
Amid mounting political pressure, Punjab Police has formed a four-member Special Investigation Team to investigate the case.
The SIT is headed by Kuldeep Singh Chahal, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Patiala Range. The Sangrur Senior Superintendent of Police and two other senior police officers are also part of the team.
The investigation will operate under the overall supervision of Deputy Inspector General of Police Nanak Singh.
The team has been directed to conduct a detailed investigation in accordance with the law and submit its findings at the earliest.
NHRC Seeks Report From Punjab Government
The controversy has also reached the National Human Rights Commission.
The NHRC took cognisance of a complaint filed by Rajesh Bagha, former Chairman of the Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes.
The complaint alleges that Gulzar died after consuming poison following intimidation over his concerns about the alleged sale of synthetic drugs in Punjab.
It further claims that Gulzar confronted Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema during an official event and later recorded a video in which he allegedly held the minister and the local sarpanch responsible.
The NHRC has said the allegations prima facie raise concerns regarding Gulzar’s human rights, including the right to life, and has sought a report from the Punjab government.
AAP Rejects Opposition’s Charges
The AAP has rejected the allegations levelled by the Congress and BJP, accusing both parties and the Shiromani Akali Dal of exploiting the death for political purposes.
AAP Punjab general secretary and media in-charge Baltej Pannu said the victim’s family should be allowed to mourn without political interference.
AAP national media in-charge Anurag Dhanda also raised questions over videos purportedly recorded by Gulzar before his death.
Dhanda claimed that an initial video recorded after Gulzar consumed poison did not name any minister. He alleged that Gulzar was later pressured to record another video naming Cheema and demanded that the circumstances surrounding the recordings be investigated.
The AAP leader nevertheless said the Mann government would take action against anyone involved in drug trafficking, regardless of political connections, and claimed that thousands of alleged drug traffickers had already been arrested.
Drug Menace Becomes Political Flashpoint Ahead of Punjab Polls
Gulzar Singh’s death has now developed into a major political confrontation in Punjab, with the Congress and BJP demanding accountability from the Mann government while AAP accuses the opposition of politicising a family tragedy.
The formation of the SIT and the NHRC’s intervention have added another layer to the case.
With the state heading towards Assembly elections, the allegations surrounding Gulzar’s death, the treatment of his family and the wider drug crisis are likely to remain a major political issue.
The immediate focus, however, remains on the police investigation and whether the allegations of caste abuse, intimidation and abetment to suicide are substantiated.
