Malwa voter upset over unkept promises

Tribune News Service

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Harike, Hussainiwala, February 16

On a normal day, Lakhbir Singh criss-crosses the waters of the Sutlej several times. While moving his boat, he often touches the three natural regions of Punjab. "Here the Sutlej confluences with the Beas. And Malwa meets Majha and Doaba."

From migratory birds to dolphins and from depth of waters to elephant grass, the boatman at Harike wetland since 1992, swiftly moves to politics. Nothing has changed in the past three decades, the water of the Sutlej remains poisonous. He talks about the pollution caused by Ludhiana's industry and Jalandhar's leather trade. "Why is it not an issue for any of the political parties?" he points at the thick line of foam left behind the motor boat. 

Downstream from the Harike Headworks towards Ferozepur, a city established by Feroze Shah Tughlaq in the 14th century along the banks of the Sutlej, people share the tales of betrayal, unfulfilled promises of not just last five years but they talk about how they are being 'cheated' for decades by almost every political party. 

Unemployment, absent schools and dying hospitals frequently figure in their conversation. They talk about the VIP culture, which has not even spared the Hussainiwala memorial where midnight cremation of bodies of the martyrs had shook Punjab. Police guards elbow the common man to make a 'safe passage' for the VIPs in a hurry to pay obeisance at the memorial to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. They don't even care about the tears rolling down the cheeks of people. People resist, but to no avail. 

Sorabh Arora, owner of a sweet shop in Ferozepur City, does not hide that his family is traditionally Akali. He says most of his customers are rural. "People are in a different mood this time, they are prepared to take a gamble. You will witness a surprise," he looks confident.     

In the main chowk of Kot Ise Khan (Dharamkot constituency), a group of young rehriwalas do not demand employment from the government which claims to have distributed ghar-ghar rozgaar. They want good hospitals and schools. "We will vote for those who will give us good health care and education for our children," says Sukhdev Singh. 

Between Kot Ise Khan and Ferozepur falls Zira constituency, where 10 years of SAD rule and Congress rule of last five years are being discussed for all the wrong reasons. Beant Singh, a middle-aged farmer of of Jhanda Bagha village, which falls in Zira constituency, says people are fed up with ‘badmaash’ politicians. "The registration of fake cases must come to an end. We don't want another ‘badmaash’ to win from here," he says.     

From Ferozepur several roads lead to the erstwhile Cis-Sutlej states, the heart of Malwa, the largest region of the three which has remained the centre of armed rebellions and holds key to Punjab's throne. The villages in Malwa are epicentre of farmers' movement and are also known for agrarian suicides. 

People here are known for surprising politicians and psephologists. This time, too, they seem restless. The talk of 'badlao' (change) is in the air. They are blunt in their opinion and don't care about the consequences. But some of ‘badlao’ seems to be happening already. Handiaya, a town of Barnala constituency located on the Chandigarh-Bathinda highway described as a hub of bullock cart manufacturers in the 19th century Imperial Gazeteer is seeing a new European version of a modern market where you have all the leading brands. "It seems the money plundered for the last 15 years by the ruling elite has landed here,” a local says. 

IELTS and immigration 'shops', have also mushroomed in the area. Not just farmers, traders, too, are sending their kids abroad. These shops are certainly not a sign of prosperity but are fake dreams being sold by merchants claiming to turn Punjab into ‘California’. 

The original question once again crops up. “Will somebody address the issues of employment, health, education; will somebody pay heed to the Sutlej,” Lakhbir asks these questions to almost everyone. Not many days are left to know the answer.

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