Governor Gulab Chand Kataria's "bullets being fired casually as firecrackers in Punjab" remark has teed off fresh confrontation with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party over the law and order situation in the state.
Speaking in Ludhiana on Thursday, where he attended the Sat Paul Mittal National Awards 2026 ceremony, Kataria said the prevailing law and order situation could not be described as satisfactory amid frequent criminal incidents.
Taking a sharp swipe at the growing gun culture, the Governor remarked, "Bullets are fired in Punjab as if people are bursting firecrackers." He expressed concern that even minor disputes were leading to the use of firearms and that young children were handling and firing pistols.
His remarks put the AAP government in the spotlight over its handling of law and order, an issue that has repeatedly triggered political confrontations in Punjab.
Drug menace another major concern
Kataria also expressed concern over the drug problem, saying the menace was weakening Punjab, a state known for its courage and contribution to the nation.
He said fighting drugs required a collective social movement and could not be left to the government or any single institution. Appealing to society not to hate youngsters struggling with addiction, he stressed the need to help them overcome the problem and return to mainstream life.
The Governor said parents alone could not shoulder this responsibility and that every section of society must participate in the fight against drugs.
He expressed hope that if the coming generation was protected from addiction, Punjab could regain its strength within the next eight to ten years.
The Governor's latest remarks are likely to add to the political debate over law and order and drug abuse in Punjab, with the opposition likely to use his observations to question the AAP government's governance record ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
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