Cricketer-turned-politician Harbhajan Singh has opened up about his decision to leave the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying his move was largely driven by frustration over his ideas and suggestions not receiving a response within his former party. In an interview with the news agency PTI, the former India off-spinner also spoke about the protests outside his Jalandhar residence after he switched political affiliations, including the burning of his effigy and slogans branding him a "Traitor". 46-year-old Harbhajan Singh entered the Rajya Sabha in 2022 as an AAP nominee. In April this year, he joined the BJP along with six other AAP members.
Harbhajan says he joined AAP to promote sports
Harbhajan said his entry into politics was never driven by an ambition to become a political figure. According to him, then and now Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had approached him to join AAP and represent the party in the Rajya Sabha, particularly to raise issues concerning sports. He recalled that he had made his position clear from the beginning that his focus would remain on sports and that he would not involve himself in political discussions.
"When (current Punjab Chief Minister) Bhagwant Mann asked me to join AAP, it was to represent the party in the Rajya Sabha and raise issues related to sports. I had made it clear at that time itself that I would only talk about sports and will not discuss politics as it is not my job," he said.
Harbhajan said the opportunity to work for sports at both the Punjab and national levels was the primary reason he agreed to join the party. "The only reason I joined AAP was that it was giving me a chance to promote sports not just in Punjab but nationally. But when I tried to present my ideas, I was not heard in the party. My ideas remained just ideas," he added.
'My very reason for joining the party was not getting fulfilled'
Harbhajan said he continued to push his ideas but eventually became disappointed because he felt the work he had entered politics to accomplish was not moving forward. He maintained that even a small concrete step towards implementing his suggestions could have convinced him to stay with AAP. However, he said the absence of any meaningful response ultimately forced him to reconsider his association with the party. "...the work for which I joined AAP was not getting done. Even if a small step had been taken in the direction that I suggested, I would not have left. But my very reason for joining the party was not getting fulfilled. That's why I left because nobody was responding to my suggestions," he said.
Protests outside Harbhajan Singh's Jalandhar home
Harbhajan's decision to leave AAP triggered a sharp reaction from his former party. The party accused the departing leaders of betrayal, while protests were also held outside Harbhajan's residence in Jalandhar. His effigy was burnt during the protests and the word "Traitor" was written outside his house.
Asked about the demonstrations, Harbhajan said he did not want to identify the people involved but suggested that their political affiliation was obvious. "Everybody knows who those people were and where they came from, I need not say anything. The common man of this country knows me for my cricket and has given me so much love, why would they burn my effigy or write 'Traitor' outside my house? Whom did I betray?" he asked.
Harbhajan also questioned AAP over its own record in Punjab and challenged the party to explain what it had delivered against the promises made to voters. "My question to them (AAP) is what happened to the tall promises they made to the people of Punjab? What did you do for Punjab? Who is the traitor here? And did you ask me why I did what I did? Just because you call me a traitor, doesn't make me one. Neither am I a thief because you say so," he asserted.
'My heart beats for India and Punjab'
Despite the political backlash, Harbhajan said he remained unaffected by the criticism and maintained that his commitment to India and Punjab did not depend on political labels. "...my heart beats for India and Punjab. The love that I have for my motherland is something that does not need validation from anyone else. So those who want to say things, they can continue, it doesn't make a difference to me. If I allow myself to be distracted by all the chatter, then I cannot function," he added. His comments underline the distinction he has sought to maintain between his political affiliation and his stated commitment to sports and Punjab.
Harbhajan Singh raises alarm over Punjab's drug crisis
Beyond his political switch, Harbhajan also spoke at length about one of Punjab's most persistent challenges, drug abuse. He said the scale of the problem cannot be underestimated and warned that the drug menace is damaging the state's younger generation. He also linked the issue to Punjab's changing sporting culture, recalling a time when the state was regarded as a powerhouse of Indian sport. "...that is a concern for everyone because drugs is something that is destroying youth not just in Punjab anywhere it manages to reach in the country... sports is a great metric. There was a time when Punjab used to rank number one in sports.
"There were nine players from Sansarpur alone in the hockey team and Sansarpur is just a small village in Jalandhar," Harbhajan said, referring to the talent supplied by the Surjit Singh Hockey Academy in Jalandhar.
He said the easy availability of drugs has had a devastating effect on young people and families across the state. "But with drugs readily available and penetrating households all around, youth has been destroyed. Wherever there is drug menace, generations have ended up being annihilated," he added.
Why Punjab's border-state status concerns Harbhajan
Harbhajan said Punjab's geographical position as a border state makes the drug problem even more serious and called for greater scrutiny of how narcotics enter the state. "So we need to know, how is it entering the state? And if it is entering the state, something should be done to stop it, right? It is reaching our houses, our youth. There should be strict laws to deal with this," he said.
Available government data cited in the report shows that more than 70,000 drug-related cases were registered in Punjab between 2022 and 2026, with over 95,000 arrests made in connection with them. Surveys cited in the report have also indicated significant levels of substance abuse in the state, while alcohol remains the most prevalent form of dependence and opioid abuse continues to be a major concern.
(With inputs from PTI)
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