Punjab in turmoil
Punjab, long a land of agrarian resilience, now finds itself at the heart of a deepening governance crisis. The Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government, once hailed as a harbinger of change, is increasingly finding itself at odds with key stakeholders — farmers, revenue officials and its own bureaucracy. What has gone wrong?
On one front, the state’s agrarian tensions are boiling over. Farmer unions, disillusioned by unkept promises and an alleged lack of consultation, have launched fresh protests, culminating in a ‘Chandigarh Chalo’ march. The government's response? A crackdown — detaining farmer leaders in midnight raids and sealing state borders. Chief Minister Mann, in a dramatic walkout from a meeting with farmers, has signalled his frustration, lamenting that Punjab is becoming a ‘state of dharnas.’ On another front, the government is waging a high-decibel war on corruption, suspending 15 revenue officers, including tehsildars and naib tehsildars, and transferring many others for alleged non-compliance. Though they called off the strike on Wednesday evening, earlier, it had triggered a backlash, with revenue officials opting for mass leave and bringing administrative work to a grinding halt. The government’s tough posture — threatening disciplinary action — may project strength, but the deeper malaise of systemic corruption and bureaucratic resentment remains unresolved.
Is this crackdown governance or desperation? The administration argues that economic growth is being stifled by continuous protests, citing investor concerns. But can a state built on agriculture afford to alienate its own farmers? The manner in which dissent is being handled raises concerns about democratic engagement. Suppressing protests with brute force only deepens the divide. Punjab’s crisis is not just about striking officers or protesting farmers. It is about governance that seems to be losing the art of dialogue. A state at war with its own people is a state in decline. The real question is: how long before the frustration boils over?
