‘Mini-Chandigarh’: Village that played active role in state politics

Naushehra Pannuan village has remained a centre of Punjab politics for a long time, earning it the sobriquet ‘mini-Chandigarh’. It is the block headquarter of some government departments and sub-tehsil of the Revenue Department.

The village is situated on the old GT Road and it is believed that during the Mughal rule it was an international market of salt as due to the presence of brackish water.

The village has a rich religious history with its active role in the state politics, business matters and several other aspects of society. Before the Delimitation Act, 2002, Naushehra Pannuan was a Vidhan Sabha constituency. It was represented by Partap Singh Kairon who was the then Chief Minister of the undivided Punjab. Partap Singh Kairon used to stay here during his visit to native village Kairon, which is 12 km from Naushehra Pannuan. Due to this, the village took maximum advantage of government schemes from time to time. The village had a special drainage facility to flush out rain water and waste water from houses. In the Health Department records the village in the part of Kairon block. Owing to political pressure, a Primary Health Centre with six medical officers, one Homoeopathic Medical Officer and a dentist was set up here. At present, it is not more than a sub health centre functioning with one promoted para-medical employee.

The village is the centre point of the Pannu sub-caste of Jat Sikh community, which according to an estimate is spread over 45 villages across Punjab. The other villages of Pannu sub-caste in the area are Chaudhriwala, Lauhuka, Piddi, kahlwan, Sakhira, Jaura, Rureassal, Mughal Chack Pannuan and Jawanda.

The village has always been patronised by prominent political figures, besides Partap Singh Kairon. SAD leader Ranjit Singh Brahampura, Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, who is grandson of Partap Singh Kairon, too, have represented the erstwhile Naushehra Pannuan Vidhan Sabha constituency.

During his visit to his native place, Partap Singh Kairon used to stay at the residence of freedom fighter Sant Sarup Singh. Sant Sarup Singh was a well-established farmer with 80 acres of agriculture land. The village was linked with pucca roads with nearby villages. It was in Naushehra Pannuan where the first residential complex for government employees was built as in those days teachers and employees had to cover long distances to reach their places of posting. The 15 residential quarters constructed decades ago are still intact though all these have been encroached.

Naushehra Pannuan was chosen for installation of a rice mill with the Korean company machinery about 25 years back. The village was also home to Comrade Braham Dutt, who dedicated his life to Communist movement and decided not to get married. Balbir Singh Pannu, aka Beela, entered the SAD politics through SGPC election and served as the general secretary of the SGPC. Ajit Singh Pannun remained active as the state leader of Government Teacher’s Union (GTU), a prominent organisation of government teachers in those days. At present, at least one member of each family from the village is settled aboard.