Chandigarh, India – A viral video depicting two men appearing disoriented on a roadside has ignited a fresh political dispute between Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The controversy intensified after the clip, which originated in Rajasthan, was circulated as evidence of a purported "zombie drug" crisis plaguing Punjab.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh shared the video on social media platform X, expressing deep concern for the situation in Punjab and stating that the state’s youth "deserve better." He called for "honesty, accountability, and urgent action," effectively leveraging the viral footage into a political attack on the AAP government’s handling of drug-related issues.
However, Punjab Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur swiftly countered, accusing the BJP leader of deliberately misrepresenting the video’s origin. She highlighted that the footage was from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, not Punjab, and criticized Harbhajan Singh for attempting to "ruin Punjab’s image" to curry favor with his political superiors.
The video in question shows two turbaned men struggling to stand and appearing disoriented. On social media, the clip was widely linked to the so-called "zombie drug," with many users asserting the men were under the influence of narcotics. Despite these claims, there has been no independent confirmation regarding the substance, if any, that the men had consumed, nor of the precise circumstances of the incident, which occurred in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan.
This exchange has transformed the video into yet another battleground in the ongoing political discourse surrounding Punjab’s drug crisis. The BJP is utilizing the episode to question the government’s efficacy in addressing the problem, while the AAP has accused the opposition of employing misleading social media content to defame Punjab.
What began as a simple video of two individuals on a roadside has thus evolved into a significant political skirmish, with both parties weaponizing the clip to reinforce their competing narratives about the state’s drug challenges.
