Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Sunil Jakhar has launched a fierce attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of outsourcing the governance of Punjab to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders in Delhi. The statement came on Monday, May 19, 2025, as the BJP intensified its criticism following the Amritsar hooch tragedy, which has claimed 27 lives so far.

According to Sunil Jakhar, this outsourcing of governance has resulted in a serious breakdown of administrative control, allowing illegal activities such as illicit liquor trade to flourish unchecked. He described the Amritsar incident as a grim consequence of failed leadership and misgovernance under the AAP regime.

Jakhar, accompanied by a delegation of senior BJP leaders, met with Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to submit a formal memorandum demanding a CBI probe into the tragedy. The BJP has also called for an Enforcement Directorate (ED) inquiry to examine what it claims is a nexus between the AAP leadership in Punjab and the liquor mafia operating across the state.

Speaking to mediapersons after the meeting, Jakhar stated that the BJP had strong grounds to believe that the liquor mafia is being protected or benefitted by elements within the AAP-led administration. He insisted that only an independent investigation by central agencies such as the CBI and ED could expose the full extent of the alleged corruption and collusion.

The BJP has been particularly critical of AAP's 2022 Liquor Policy, which Jakhar claims was modelled on Delhi’s excise policy, and which, according to him, opened the doors to widespread irregularities in liquor distribution quotas. He emphasised that the policy’s beneficiaries must be identified and questioned how such dangerous networks were able to function under the government’s nose.

The hooch tragedy in Amritsar, involving the consumption of spurious liquor, has rocked the state and prompted widespread public outrage. Families of the victims, mostly from rural and economically weaker sections, have demanded justice and strict action against those responsible for the manufacture and distribution of the toxic alcohol.

In response to the outcry, the Punjab Government has announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh each for the families of the deceased. Police have registered two First Information Reports (FIRs) under sections 103 (murder) and 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Multiple arrests have already been made, and investigations are ongoing.

Despite these measures, the opposition — particularly the BJP — maintains that accountability must begin at the top, demanding that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann take full responsibility for the lapse. They argue that mere compensation and arrests of low-level operatives are not enough and that the real masterminds behind the liquor mafia must be brought to light.

Jakhar reiterated that the hooch incident was a preventable tragedy, had the state administration acted with vigilance. He criticised the AAP government’s failure to monitor liquor distribution channels and claimed that the adoption of Delhi's liquor model was done without considering Punjab's unique socio-economic challenges.

The BJP has linked the liquor tragedy to what it describes as systemic administrative failure, blaming the centralised decision-making style of AAP that allegedly sidelines Punjab-based officials in favour of instructions from the party’s high command in Delhi. This, they argue, has led to a disconnect between the government and the realities on the ground.

In its memorandum to the Governor, the BJP has detailed its allegations, requesting not only immediate investigations but also a thorough audit of AAP’s liquor policies. Jakhar noted that similar issues had emerged during the Delhi liquor scam, which is already under ED and CBI scrutiny, and now the Punjab Government risks repeating the same mistakes.

Political analysts have observed that this confrontation could become a major electoral issue as public anger over the tragedy continues to grow. The BJP seems to be positioning itself as the voice of law and accountability, especially in contrast to AAP’s governance style which they claim is opaque and centralised.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has defended his government, stating that swift action has been taken and that no one involved in the illegal liquor trade will be spared. However, he has not directly responded to the BJP’s allegations of outsourcing governance or the call for central investigations.

Opposition parties including the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal have joined the chorus, criticising the AAP administration for failing to prevent such tragedies and not reforming the liquor control framework even after earlier warnings.

As the investigation unfolds and political tensions escalate, the demand for transparency and accountability is expected to dominate public discourse in Punjab. Whether the Centre will respond with an official inquiry, and whether the AAP government will agree to greater scrutiny, remains to be seen in the coming days.

This episode has not only highlighted administrative vulnerabilities but also opened up larger questions around policy-making, federal coordination, and ethical governance in a politically sensitive state like Punjab.

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