Rahul Gandhi Targets CM Mann at Sangrur Rally : “CM cannot be under influence every evening If he wants to fight drugs”
Babushahi Bureau
Sangrur (Punjab), November 4, 2026: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging that the latter used to attend Parliament after consuming alcohol and questioning his commitment to fighting the drug menace in Punjab.
Addressing an ‘Insaaf Rally’ in Sangrur, Gandhi recalled his interactions with Mann in the Lok Sabha, claiming that the Chief Minister would sit among MPs and crack jokes, while the smell of alcohol could be noticed on his breath by 11 am.
“I was in the Lok Sabha with him. He used to sit with us and tell jokes, right there, sitting among us. By 11 am, you could smell alcohol on his breath,” Gandhi said.
Clarifying that drinking was a personal matter, the Congress leader said he had no objection to Mann choosing to consume alcohol. However, he questioned how a Chief Minister could effectively lead the fight against substance abuse if he was allegedly under the influence of alcohol every evening.
“Now, I am not saying that Bhagwant Mann shouldn’t drink; that is his personal affair. If he chooses to drink, that is entirely his own business. But if you truly want to fight the menace of substance abuse, your Chief Minister cannot be under the influence every single evening,” Gandhi said.
He further said Punjab needed a leader who genuinely understood the suffering caused by drugs and was committed to fighting the menace.
“You need someone who will fight for Punjab, someone who genuinely feels the pain caused by drugs, someone who carries the pain of Punjab in his heart,” he added.
Gandhi’s remarks brought the Chief Minister’s personal conduct into the political debate over Punjab’s drug problem.