Majitha is Majithia. That simple, is it?

Neeraj Bagga

Advertisement

The predominantly rural constituency 15 km from Amritsar city is ‘Majitha’, though many easily confuse it with ‘Majithia’. The influential 40-year-old Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia, however, would find no contradiction in the ‘Majitha is Majithia, Majithia is Majitha’assertion.  That would be pushing it too far for his critics, but even the most bitter ones find it difficult to disregard his marked footprint in Majitha.

Connectivity is one immediate parameter that connects with residents on what goes in the name of “development” and Majitha scores high on that count. All link roads to villages and main roads to the adjoining districts of Amritsar and Pathankot are concretised or re-laid. There are ample, and more important functional, streetlights and a rebuilt bus stand that does stand apart.

“Have you seen any hoarding or board of the Opposition parties in the entire Majitha?” says Navtej Singh, a shopkeeper in Ajaibwali village, when asked about Majithia’s influence and performance. “Akali, are you?” he is asked, and he smiles: “Majitha da rehan wala.”

Harbhajan Singh of the adjoining Kalera village points to the main road from Majitha town to Amritsar. “Its construction started two years ago and is yet to be finished on the Amritsar side,” he says, and quickly adds: “Can you not see its importance? It’s the first time in my life that I’ve seen my convenience being taken into account.”

Shamsher Singh of Hariya Wale village is in a hurry to take a family member for a check-up and has no time for a long-winding political discussion. “My village has water connections but the supply is irregular. But a new road is being laid here. And look at the main road passing through our village linking Majitha town to Pathankot. It is well laid.”

So, a smooth ride to the Assembly for a third time for Bikram Singh Majithia? That draws a smile that resembles a smirk. “Any wave in the elections will be known once the Opposition parties nominate their candidates.”

In Majitha town, Baljinder Singh Chauhan, running a printing press machine, is clear about how the Opposition would have to work tremendously hard to unseat him. “See what’s been done. Concrete roads, tiles in the town, a rebuilt bus stand, the augmented capacity of the main Bijli Ghar, a new building for a separate girls’ school on Dadupura road, Majitha being elevated to a tehsil.”

The question is popped again. So, Majithia can rest assured of an easy win? “The Congress ruined its chances when it pitted greenhorn Shailenderjit Singh Shelly against Majithia in the last election,” says Chauhan. “The other Majithia — Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lalli — who had unsuccessfully contested against Bikram in 2007, contested as a rebel in 2012.”

Lalli Majithia is back in the Congress and back in the reckoning for the party ticket. His challengers for the nomination include the son of Sawinder Singh Kathunangal, who himself won the Majitha seat in the 2001 byelection, and Manpreet Singh Badal’s loyalist Preetinder Singh Pannu.

There’s a third force too this time. Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party have been openly confronting Bikram Majithia on the issue of drugs and party volunteers Ramandeep Singh and Kirpal Singh, though outsiders, have been keenly canvassing in the constituency.

Ramandeep, a former SGPC staffer, came into the limelight when he threw his resignation letter at the then Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Avtar Singh Makkar to protest against the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and firing on protesting Sikhs. “On the surface, everything looks fine in Majitha,” he says. “Scratch it a bit, and you will know how concerned residents are about drugs. They fear reprisal so they hold back their views,” he claims. “I hope they speak their mind through the ballot.”

Another AAP probable is 28-year old Kirpal Singh. A civil engineering graduate, he says Bikram Majithia has definitely provided amenities but there are several issues of concern. “Like the use of muscle power in the tilling of land and the supply of inferior quality of grains through the public distribution system.”

Satwant Singh, a farmer from Marari village, which has the historic gurdwara dedicated to Bhagat Namdev, agrees that there has been overall development but “it is restricted” to infrastructural and basic civic amenities.

“Urbanisation is taking place in Majitha but it lacks a guiding hand,” he says and points to the open drain and garbage being dumped on the edges of the main road near his house. He says most of these houses belong to farmers who are moving out from villages to Majitha town for better living conditions, while keeping a close watch on their farms in villages.

Even as an array of development works are carried out in the high-profile constituency, inherent problems like healthcare and contaminated underground water remain.

The solitary Community Health Centre (CHC) battles staff shortage. It has led to a sharp fall in the footfall of patients, who either go to private clinics or to Amritsar. There are only two doctors, one MBBS general doctor and a Senior Medical Officer. The other two general doctors and an orthopaedic are either on deputation at the Amritsar Civil Hospital or are on leave. 

Close to the hospital, Shivinder Singh says the 20-bed CHC is underutilised due to scarcity of doctors. It does not have a separate drug addiction centre. A temporary centre was established, but that has been closed, he points out. SMO Dr Sudesh Naaz counters that the “medical staff treat the drug addicts in case they drop in. They also refer them to the drug and rehabilitation centre at Amritsar”. She says the number of doctors would be increased since the town has been elevated to a subdivision.   

Progressive farmer Jaswant Singh says agriculture is the mainstay of the constituency’s economy but the town does not have any industry to tap these resources. “After delivery of quality infrastructure, there is a need to offer vocational training in agro-industry or the limited job opportunities would force people to migrate to adjoining big towns.”

About the political scene, he says it is “calm” even after the allotment of the ticket to Bikram Majithia for the third time. “It will depend on the quality of Congress and AAP candidates since the constituency has never seen a triangular contest in its recent electoral history.”