CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab faced fierce backlash on Sunday after police stopped the supply of newspapers across the state, citing security checks to curb smuggling of drugs and explosives. The move sparked outrage among Opposition parties and media bodies, who termed it a “brazen attempt to muzzle the press” following reports critical of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The crackdown follows growing political friction over the Sheesh Mahal 2.0 controversy. In recent days, several newspapers had published reports alleging that Arvind Kejriwal was occupying the Punjab government’s official residence in Chandigarh, sparking charges of extravagance and misuse of public funds.
The controversy has once again raised serious questions about the AAP government’s commitment to transparency and democratic accountability — and about the state of press freedom in Punjab
According to reports from multiple districts, police personnel halted vehicles carrying newspapers in the early hours, detained drivers, and took them to police stations for questioning. Though some vehicles were later released after inspections, the disruption caused significant delays in newspaper distribution throughout Punjab.
The Chandigarh Press Club issued a sharp statement condemning the police action, calling it “an unacceptable interference in the freedom of the press.”
Opposition parties alleged that the AAP government ordered the crackdown to prevent the circulation of reports linked to the “Sheesh Mahal 2.0” controversy — stories alleging that Kejriwal had been using Punjab’s official residence, House No. 50 in Chandigarh, for his personal stay.
Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) accused the Mann government of launching an undeclared emergency to silence criticism.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said the government was targeting newspaper distribution because “they cannot tolerate anyone writing against them.” He warned, “We will oppose such dictatorial moves aimed at suppressing truth tooth and nail.”
BJP state working president Ashwini Sharma went a step further, calling it “an undeclared Emergency imposed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.” He alleged that AAP’s panic over the Sheesh Mahal 2.0 revelations had led to “a full-scale attack on media freedom.”
From the Congress camp, senior leader Pargat Singh accused the AAP government of conducting a “raid on democracy.” In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “Looting Punjab’s treasury for Delhi’s lobby was no secret, but now even newspapers are being stopped to hide the truth. This is not governance — this is a silent Emergency.”
Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring called the incident “a dangerous assault on democracy and press freedom, ” demanding a public apology from the Mann government. “By suggesting that vehicles carrying newspapers could be used for smuggling, the government has cast aspersions on the media itself, ” Warring said. “This panic reflects a regime that has lost public confidence.”
Police Clarification
The Punjab Police, however, denied any political motive behind the operation. In an official statement, a police spokesperson said the vehicle checks were part of a state-wide security operation conducted on the intervening night of November 1 and 2, based on “specific intelligence inputs” regarding possible smuggling of arms, narcotics, and explosives.
“Punjab is a sensitive border state that remains on the radar of Pakistan’s ISI and other anti-national elements who use innovative methods — including goods carriers and commercial vehicles — for contraband transport, ” the statement said.
The spokesperson added that police were “conscious of their duties” and regretted any inconvenience caused to newspaper distributors. “Reports suggest some delays occurred in newspaper delivery due to the checks, but these were purely part of a security drill, ” the statement clarified.