Nayab Saini govt has surrendered to mafia, says Surjewala; govt dismisses claims as baseless

Chandigarh: Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala on Sunday alleged that Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government has "surrendered" to the mafia and gangsters, a claim the government dismissed as a "baseless" and an attempt "to spread fear among the public and misguide citizens".

Speaking at a press conference here, Surjewala said that Haryana, which is the land of Bhagavat Gita, has drowned in crime under the BJP rule, turning into a Gangs of Wasseypur-like mafia land.

"The guns of goons are dominating the rule of law in Haryana and the government's silence is protecting the criminals," Surjewala said, adding that "As chief minister and home minister, Nayab Saini is a complete failure." "The truth is that the Nayab Saini government has surrendered to the mafia and gangsters. The governance of Haryana has been handed over to the Gangs of Wasseypur," he said, demanding Saini's resignation.

"If this government cannot protect the law and constitution, then it has no right to stay in power," Surjewala asserted.

He pointed out that before the BJP came to power in the state 11 years ago, newspaper headlines were dominated by players winning medals and about big investments.

Responding to the comments, a Haryana government spokesperson on Sunday said that the opposition's claims about crime in the state was "misleading and factually baseless" and that such remarks are "nothing but an attempt to spread fear among the public and misguide citizens".

The state government, under its "zero tolerance for crime" policy, has taken significant and effective measures to strengthen law and order, he said in an official statement.

Surjewala, however, alleged that under the BJP rule, all one sees in the media now is the news about recruitment paper leaks, corruption, 'lathicharge' on employees, and atrocities on farmers.

He said the drug menace has spread its tentacles across the state, unemployment is rife, the mining mafia is asserting its dominance, and people are falling prey to unbridled bureaucracy and corruption, while goons carry on extorting money.

In Haryana, "organised crime" has now turned into the "biggest industry," he asserted.

In February 2025, when the DGPs of seven states met in Chandigarh, the Nayab Saini government itself admitted that 80 gangs were active in Haryana, he said.

"In Haryana, Lawrence Bishnoi Gang, Bambiha Gang, Bhau Gang, Kaushal Chaudhary Gang, Goldy Brar Gang, Rana Gang, Vikas Gulia Dubai Gang, Arvinder Singh Rinda Gang, Adarsh Deep Singh Gang Canada, are openly indulging in extortions," he said.

Surjewala said that according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), three murders take place every day in Haryana.

According to the NCRB, 966 murders took place in Haryana in 2024. A total of 16,743 cases of crimes against women were registered in a year; that is, 46 cases every day, he said.

In the first quarter of 2025, 4,137 people went missing, that is 45 people every day, and most of the cases are of kidnapping, he said.

"The sensational thing is that murders, ransom, extortion and threats are at their peak. This tells a 'horrifying story' of turning 'Haryana into a mafia land and gang land'," he alleged, adding that "This shows that this government is so inept that it is unable to take action against gangsters and criminals or has given patronage to such elements." However, the government spokesperson said that compared to the previous years, the crime rate has witnessed a marked decline.

"Focused actions are being undertaken to ensure women's safety, control cybercrime, and crack down on the drug mafia and gangster networks. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to make Haryana a safer and more law-abiding state," he said.

The spokesperson further added that if the opposition leaders had objectively compared police data from 2004-14 with that from 2014-24, "they would not have made such careless and irresponsible claims".

He said that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, reaffirming his firm stance on public safety, has issued unequivocal directives to uphold a robust and responsive law and order system across Haryana.

Chairing a recent high-level meeting with deputy commissioners and superintendents of police, the chief minister stressed that strict and uncompromising action must be taken against criminals, and no leniency will be tolerated, he said.

The spokesperson added that ensuring the safety and security of citizens is the foremost responsibility of the state government.

There is zero room for negligence when it comes to protecting the people, he said, adding that a strong law and order framework is the very backbone of peace and sustainable development.

Citing figures from the Haryana State Crime Records Bureau, the spokesperson shared that during the Congress regime (2005-14), the average annual increase in crime was as high as 18.69 per cent.

"In contrast, during the 2014-24 period, most crime categories, except snatching, have shown negative growth trends. For example, murder cases increased from 733 in 2004 to 1,106 in 2014, reflecting a 3.81 per cent annual increase. However, by 2024, the number of murder cases declined to 966, demonstrating a significant drop," spokesperson said.

From January 1 to June 30, 2025, the state recorded a clear reduction in several major crime categories compared to the same period in 2024, he said.

Highlighting action against organised crimes, the spokesperson said that the Special Task Force (STF) of Haryana has been working in coordination with other law enforcement agencies since 2023 to target hardened criminals and criminal networks.

The STF has arrested 433 most-wanted criminals with cash rewards on their heads, 248 gangsters and gang members, and 792 individuals involved in heinous crimes, the spokesperson added.