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Ground Zero: Nothing has changed in Punjab since 2017 except the ruling party


Jagtar Singh
The issue is not just that of a minister questioning the functioning of the chief minister in Punjab. The problem is rooted deep.
The continuing incidence of farmers committing suicides no more stirs the conscience of the people who are in the business of politics. Even in newspapers, the ‘story’ is tucked in some inside page.
This was one of the major issues in the Assembly elections 2017 that catapulted the Congress into power ending 10-years of Akali Dal-BJP rule. Punjab, of course, was ‘oasis’ of peace and communal harmony during that period, despite the shocking incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib.
Addicts continue to die due to drug overdose. There is no change in the situation on this front during the present regime too.
What has changed  with reference to the drug menace is the political narrative. The statements are the same but for the substitution of the Congress with Akali Dal. In case the name of the political party is dropped from these statements, one would find uncanny similarity.
The narrative of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in 2015 was a volcanic eruption that rocked the Akalis like never before. This was the most important factor that reduced the tally of the Akali Dal to 15 seats, the lowest ever, in 2017.
It is the present regime that is  now rocked by the tremors as the ministers question Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
Illegal sand mining was the gold mine for the ruling party politicians during 10-year rule of the Akali Dal government that unleashed massive uproar. Akali mafia has been replaced by the Congress mafia after 2017.
One of the reasons that caused massive floods in Punjab is the weakening of river embankments known as Dhussi due to heavy vehicles  carrying sand from river beds. The embankment got weakened from the points from where these  vehicles cross Dhussi.
The only change in Punjab has been the replacement of the Akali Dal-BJP government headed by Parkash Singh Badal and run by his son Sukhbir Singh Badal in his capacity as the deputy chief minister by the Congress.
People expected change in situation and that has not happened even on a single front.
Ironically, even the distinction between the ruling party and the opposition has blurred so far as the Akali Dal is concerned. Aam Aadmi Party that had emerged as the main opposition replacing the Akali Dal disintegrated within no time due to bloated ego of some over-ambitious leaders.
Top leaders in Akali Dal continue to call the shots even under the present Congress government.
It is this arrangement that had provoked then cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to make his comment of seventy-thirty government. He himself became the victim of firing that untimely salvo. He had launched the attack in Bathinda two days before the Lok Sabha election. What was wrong was the timing that he chose.
It is only now when his governance is being openly questioned by his own cabinet colleagues and the MLAs that the Chief Minister seems to have started building up the perception of addressing the business of running the government. He virtually outsourced the government in the beginning itself.
It may be mentioned here that the transport minister in Capt Amarinder Singh government can’t even change the timetable of a bus. The employees of a transport company belonging to an Akali leader wield more power in transport department that the minister concerned.
Interestingly, as some Akali leaders at the top continuing to share power, there is no sign of anti-incumbency going down against that party.
Lastly, nothing has changed on the corruption front too.
Punjab has turned into a state ruled by political mafia, irrespective of the party.
The issue of sacrilege has now come to haunt Capt Amarinder Singh.
He has little choice under the deteriorating situation.  



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