A political fight has broken out in Punjab after BJP Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh shared a video on social media that he claimed showed the state's "zombie drug" problem. The clip shows two men who appear to be in an intoxicated state. But Punjab Police quickly pushed back, saying the video was actually filmed in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan — not in Punjab.
Harbhajan Singh's video post and drug crisis claims
Harbhajan Singh, who recently left the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to join the BJP, posted the video on X (formerly Twitter). In his message, he expressed deep concern about the situation in Punjab, writing that the state's youth "deserve better".
According to India Today, Harbhajan wrote in his post: "The evil eye has struck, my friend, on our Punjab." He went on to allege that governments had "ruined Punjab and its Punjabi youth" and urged people to "save Punjab" and "save Punjab's youth".
The former cricketer also shared a line in Punjabi — "ਨਜ਼ਰ ਲੱਗ ਗਈ ਯਾਰ ਸਾਡੇ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਨੂੰ… ਸਰਕਾਰਾਂ ਨੇ ਕੀ ਹਾਲ ਬਣਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦਾ ਤੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ..." — which translates to a lament about how governments have treated Punjab and its people.
Punjab Police clarification and AAP's counterattack
The controversy escalated when Punjab Police responded to Harbhajan's post. The force stated clearly that the video had no connection with Punjab. Instead, they said the footage was from Sri Ganganagar, a city in the neighbouring state of Rajasthan.
This clarification did not sit well with AAP, which seized the opportunity to hit back at Harbhajan Singh. The party accused the BJP MP of spreading misinformation and trying to create a false narrative about Punjab's law and order situation.
"The evil eye has struck, my friend, on our Punjab." — Harbhajan Singh on X
Political implications of the 'zombie drug' video row
This incident highlights the heated political atmosphere in Punjab, where drug abuse has long been a sensitive and emotional issue. Harbhajan Singh's move to share the video appears aimed at criticising the AAP government's handling of the drug crisis in the state.
However, the police clarification undermines the core claim of his post. By pointing out that the video is from Rajasthan, the authorities have challenged the accuracy of the BJP MP's message.
For AAP, this is a chance to paint Harbhajan as someone who is willing to share unverified content to score political points. The party's response suggests they see this as a pattern of misinformation from their political opponents.
Our Take: Verify before you amplify
To put it plainly, this episode is a reminder of how quickly unverified content can spread and spark political firestorms. Harbhajan Singh's intentions may have been to highlight a real concern — drug abuse is indeed a serious issue in Punjab. But sharing a video without confirming its origin weakens his argument and gives his opponents an easy opening to dismiss the entire message.
In our view, public figures have a responsibility to check facts before posting. When a senior MP shares a clip claiming it shows a crisis in his own state, people will trust him. When that clip turns out to be from another state, it damages credibility — not just of the individual, but of the larger cause he claims to support.
The drug problem in Punjab deserves serious discussion. But that discussion must be built on verified facts, not viral videos. Both parties — BJP and AAP — should focus on real solutions rather than trading accusations over unverified clips. For readers, the lesson is simple: before believing a political post, wait for official confirmation. In this case, the police have spoken, and the video is not what it was claimed to be.
