“The reality is that Punjab State has always stood up against the discriminatory misdoings of the Centre, whether it was during the black-era of the Emergency imposed  by PM Indira Gandhi, or the current impasse created by PM Narendra Modi who wanted to crush the farmers by occupying their lands, in order to favor the billionaire-magnates. In the process, the present Delhi-elite also attempted to throttle the constitutional-rights of the States to enact and implement laws on certain subjects. Punjab has, always, proven to be a leader in showing the path to the Nation. Hence, Punjab has been constantly irking the Centre, who have been ignoring the hard-factsheet that despite suffering in every way, Punjabi community have made the maximum number of supreme sacrifices of life during all the wars thrust upon India,  and Punjabis continue to man the borders, thwarting the evil-designs of other nations.”

The State of Punjab has experienced the worst tortures, which have been inflicted on the body and soul, on the mind and spirit, consequently leaving it torn asunder and in a state of total shambles. It bore the maximum brunt of 1947 partition of India and was bruised by the genocidal pogrom of 1984, Punjab has borne ‘heat-waves and freezing-shivers’ of policies of the ‘powers-that-be’. Punjab has suffered the menace of drug-addiction, unemployment and massive migration. Since several decades, the appearance of Punjab has become devoid of color of enthusiasm and liveliness.

 The 5 Rivers have vanished

Punjab, the land of 5 rivers, which once lived jubilantly in consonance with the Blessings of Guru Sahib, is currently ‘breathing with difficulty’, as the 5 rivers have ‘disappeared’, but a 6^th river of drugs is flooding the State. The exuberant youth, both boys and girls are badly trapped in its grip, and they have forgotten their art, culture and heritage of ‘Gidda – Bhangra’. Many youngsters have taken wings and migrated abroad. The villages are deserted. Whatever remained has been swallowed by selfish politicians.

 What has Punjab gained ?

With the rest of India, Punjab has lived through independent era, for 74 years and as part of the Republic of India, for 71 years but what has it gained ? There is no big industry worth its name, no infrastructure to mention, absence of medical amenities akin to neighboring States, and no educational facilities. Environmental pollution has touched a record low as the rivers are contaminated and air has been poisoned. Haryana State, carved out of Punjab, boasts of prosperous massive industry and neighboring Himachal Pradesh has benefitted from an industrial package from the Center, while Punjab has been reeling under a step motherly discrimination from New Delhi. For instance, Haryana has 12 government medical institutions, Himachal has 7 whereas Punjab is forced to remain content with only 4 medical colleges.

 Fearing Punjabis !

On the 5^th of January 2022, the Prime Minister came to Ferozepur, to gift 2 medical colleges to Punjab but realizing the flop attendance at the rally, he returned to Delhi without reaching the rally point and instead of gifting something, went on to label Punjabis as sort of criminals, from whom “he was lucky to save his life, in a providential escape, narrowly missing death at the hands of natives of Punjab, who were out to assassinate him”.  What a derogatory and discriminatory attitude towards Punjab whose valiant sons defend the frontiers and whose brave farmers have, since time immemorial, been feeding the nation and saving Indians, especially after the advent of the Green Revolution. However, Punjab is, today, going downhill towards a barren desert. A fresh new survey aptly illustrates the plight of Punjab today. Environmental experts have published a report, as per which Punjab has, merely, adequate water resources for drinking and irrigation, so as to sustain itself, only for 9 or 10 years. The ominous danger lurks round the corner, as Punjab government remains conspicuous by its silence and the government of India is silent as a conspirator. So, ultimately, all that Punjab has gained is Memories of Warrior-Martyrs who offered the Supreme Sacrifice for India; and memories of the Farmer-Martyrs who set a world-record, by forcing the duo of the affluent and the mighty ruling elite, to revoke the 3 black-laws which were meant to completely annihilate Punjab and Punjabis.

 Rural Punjab in dire straits

Let us, now, analyze the plight of small-farmers and laborers in the villages. Here’s an example of what Punjab gives to the nation and what it receives, in reciprocation, from the rulers.

There’s a really small village named Bambeli in Phagwara District. This is smaller than the normally small. Working class is migrating to other States and those born to their second generation shall never return to Punjab. The population here is 1500, approximately and there are 200 ration cards, thereby implying 200 household-units with 1000 voters. There is land of about 200 acreage, cultivable area. Let’s examine what the village offers to the country and what does the country give back to the village. Although the statistics are approximate, yet they are nearer to the reality. One acre yields a harvest of Rs,50,000. On an average, lets presume the amount to be Rs,100,000 for 2 or 3 yields. The Mandi-Board levies a tax of Rs.5,000 on every Rs,100,000, per annum. So, 200 acres gifts the government an amount of Rupees Ten lakh, every year.

The village has some 15 government employees who pay an annual tax of 2 lakhs. At an average, each family has an expenditure of 1 lakh annually, on household requirements and uses another 1 lakh on other sundry expenses. Some 18% GST implying Rs.36000 per family, goes to the government. So, 200 families give a total tax of Rs.72 lakh to the government which receives a grand total of annual taxes of 84 lakhs (10+2+72). Additionally, the villagers spend a lot, at regular intervals, on the maintenance of buildings especially during community events and special festivities. Some 16 lakhs is this amount spent. So, 84+16 lakhs= One crore rupees per annum goes to the government from the smallest village of 1500 people. In 5 years, it comes to 5 crore rupees. (Statistics Courtesy : Survey Vijay, Bambeli).

 What is received from the government ?

In return, all that the village is reimbursed is the expenditure made on white washing of Dharamshaala and other sundry maintenance works. For 20 years, this village has been undergoing a scarcity of schoolteachers. For over 15 years there has been no doctor and compounder in the veterinary hospital. In the government hospital, there is no doctor for 10 years and no dispenser for 5 years. After paying all taxes and bills, they are mistreated as beggars and given only 2 kgs of grains and pulses as a gift and huge favor. This is an eyewash whereby the leaders and politicians snatch money from the squeezed people, by way of burdening them with taxes and inflation, only to tactfully return a fraction of it.The public is deprived of their rights to employment opportunities, free education and health facilities, adequate supply of water and electricity; seeds, manure, fertilizers, pesticides, oil, diesel etc.; clean environment and good roadway system. Everything is totally missing.

 Polluted Political Scenario

This story of Bambeli village is the narrative applicable to the entire State of Punjab. The slum areas in cities are in the same condition as the huge garbage dumped in villages. Dilapidated government buildings, bad roads, shortage or total absence of requisite departmental offices, schoolteachers, workers, corrupt irresponsible administration structure along with the arrogant attitude of politicians and their supporters has made the overall atmosphere extremely suffocating. This time, the upcoming Punjab elections, after the Republic Day, have been turned into a quagmire, where the central clique and ruling elite are encouraging ‘horse-trading’ at an unprecedented scale, hitherto never observed in Punjab politics. The people are wondering how  politicians are up for sale and have stooped so low as to become selfish beyond any imagination and comparison. People are also thinking loud about why they are just considered as mere voters whose loyalties can be purchased with some alcohol and a meager amount. The electoral drama would be witness to four or five-cornered wrestling-bouts, for time in the 71-year-old Republic. It is to be seen, now, whether people would grab money, succumbing due to sheer desperation and frustration or would they refrain from exercising their right to franchise !

 Punjabis are no longer happy ‘Living in their own Punjab’.

Actually, in 74 years after independence, the rulers, politicians and cronies have created such miserably devastating conditions, that Punjabis feel devoid of any real joy and bliss living in their Punjab. They are putting their passports and pockets or bags and running away to unknown destinations in far-away lands. Rarely they become successful but often, after several years of struggle, they find themselves as having lost their all, including family, home, house, security, sleep, health, peace of mind and happiness et al.

During the last session of Lok Sabha, it was stated that 4.7 lakh Punjabis have migrated to foreign shores, in search of employment, from the year 2016 until 26 March 2021. Another report mentions that around 2 lakh young students have been going, every year, to Canada, USA and UK among others, equipped with a course in IELTS. In 2019, this number went up to 1.5 lakh youth flying, only to Canada having spent Rupees 15 to 22 lakh as fee for the first year of education. This means that a staggering amount of 27000 crore rupees changed hands from Punjab to Canada. This is total reversal of the times when NRIs used to make massive remittances to their relatives in Punjab and all of them used to invest in businesses, properties in Punjab and for construction, renovations etc. All this is the consequence of mismanagement and corruption and indifference of the government.

Undivided Punjab had lost massively during 1947 partition when both sides lost millions of people and millions more were displaced from one country to the other. Women were dishonored and children were orphaned. Punjab lost two and a half rivers out of five and life and economy were adversely impacted.

Historian Saugata Bose writes about this in his book ‘The Nation as Mother and Other : Visions of Nationhood’. He says 10 lakh Sikh, Hindu and Muslims perished in the riots of 1947 and One Crore people were displaced crossing borders of the two newly carved countries.

In 1947 people of various religions, castes and classes were inhabitants of Punjab where all lived peacefully and merrily. The 1941 census the population was 3 crore 40 lakh wherein Muslims constituted 53.2%, Hindus and Dalits 29.1%, Sikhs were 14.9% and Christians 1.9%. The partition etched a borderline which made minorities run helter-skelter, displaced them, when women and young girls were raped or abducted, thereby shaming human-birth and the species of humanity itself. These riots or carnage were not spontaneous but rather they were orchestrated and maneuvered by the politicians of various hues and shades. Muslim League, Akali party, RSS, Hindu Mahasabha, all of these acted in self-interest and used armed hooligans, criminals, retired army-men and local cronies to incite and ignite extreme violence, leading to unfathomable destruction and massive bloodshed. According to Ivan Jenkins, Governor at that time, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims all fought,and 29 Districts of Punjab suffered. Perhaps this was one of the most shameful tragedies, globally.

Time went by. People started heaving a sigh of relief.  In 1966, Punjab was, yet once again, bifurcated on the basis of language and Haryana came into existence. Sectarian-minded rulers segregated Punjab from Chandigarh (then capital of Punjab) and also from many Punjabi-speaking areas.aq Now, the City-beautiful was made the capital of both Punjab and Haryana. Punjab was divested its legal and natural right to the natural-water resources. The issue of sharing of the rivers was referred to the courts, to keep it in a long-term suspended animation.

Dreams shattered

More time went by. People started relishing some relief. The Green Revolution of 1965 gifted Punjabis a great new dream to envision. However, excessive usage of fertilizers and pesticides and the cultivation of rice rendered the water of Punjab and the health of Punjabis unsafe to the extent of hazardous levels. Farmers were plunged into debts. Punjabis fed the nation but were, themselves, destroyed. The devastatingly excruciating results of Green Revolution were cancer, birth of weakened children and weakened procreation-power in mothers. This was evident in reduced physical prowess in the children and a less than earlier happier youthful-age and lessened lifespan.

 Punjab suffered an Economic Backwardness

Currently, Punjab is at a very low ebb, economically. It stands at the 16^th place and its ranking in GDP is 19^th. In 2020 the rate of unemployment slumped from 30.7% to 33.6%. In India, the figures of the unemployed stand at 4.8% whereas it is 7.3% in Punjab which is the highest in our nation. Next comes Haryana at 6.4%, followed by Chandigarh at 6.3% and Himachal at 3.7%. These figures were stated on 27 July 2021. The reasons attributed to this rate of unemployment in Punjab are unprofitable farming-business, lack of diversification in cultivation of crops and scarcity of non-agricultural job-avenues. The education-policies of the government, in the past two decades, are the cause of all these miserable circumstances. The erroneous policies include the lack of vocational training facilities for various skills and the total indifference displayed by politicians in Punjab, towards providing good-quality higher-learning institutions, which should have immensely benefitted Punjabis. Politicians are, quite apparently, totally bereft of the truly real spirit of doing something noble and worthy for the impoverished and downtrodden. And so, Punjab continues going downhill in various spheres. Lack of efficient and honest officers in the administrative cadre and a visible total-rule of several types of mafia ruling the roost in Punjab are some other key-factors which have ruined Punjab and Punjabis. It is being estimated that Punjab would be reeling under a Himalayan debt of 2.82 lakh crore rupees, in the aftermath of the Assembly polling. This is the result of the Power-Politics of the Ruling-Party in Punjab who are busy handing-out some really unnecessary concessions to woo the voters to their camp.

The industrial sector is in the doldrums and is perched on the edge of a precipice. The foundries in Batala are finished. Sports industry in Jalandhar has been usurped people of other States. Steel-rolling factories in Gobindgarh-Mandi are in very poor shape. Hosiery sector in Ludhiana has become a victim of the fear of Corona-pandemic. The by-cycle industry in Ludhiana has been eclipsed. At this time, although there are 194,000 small-scale units and 586 large and medium-sized industries in Punjab, yet all these produce only 25 GDP, according to a report published in 2018-2019.  Then, there is the cotton-industry in Abohar, Malout, Phagwara, Amritsar and other areas, which have provided direct and indirect employment opportunities to some two million of the populace. In stark-contrast, there is the reality 22 sugar-mills in the State (15 in the cooperative sector and 7 in private-ownership) of which 6 cooperative mills have been shut down. The remaining mills owe the farmers, really massive amounts running into crores of rupees. Statistics show that these loss-recording units owe to the farmers, an amount of Rupees 16,883 crores, as on 31 January 2021. The dairy-industry in Punjab took upon itself the responsibility of providing, not only for the people of Punjab but also the entire nation. However, the farmers have not been able to derive benefit from this endeavor.

The Woes of Punjabis.

Their heartfelt pain now openly trickles down from their eyes. They cannot view any easily navigational route towards recuperation. Delhi-Darbar has been, since long, conspiring to play very deceptive, manipulative games to harm the State of Punjab. Why doesn’t Delhi allow the Indian State of Punjab to trade with Punjab State in Pakistan ? This measure has the massive potential to increase productivity and prosperity in our Punjab. There is special need to provide additional basic requisite amenities in this border-State. Why isn’t the International Riparian Law implemented, in Letter & Spirit, to solve the water-dispute thereby giving justice to Punjab? Why doesn’t Delhi order and prevail upon the State of Rajasthan to pay billions of Rupees to Punjab, for the unjust consumption of water utilized free by Rajasthan? Why isn’t Delhi facilitating a stimulus-package to the agro-based big-industry, enabling a great fillip to Punjab-economy?

 Step-motherly attitude

The reality is that Punjab State has always stood up against the discriminatory misdoings of the Centre, whether it was during the black-era of the Emergency imposed by PM Indira Gandhi, or the current impasse created by PM Narendra Modi who wanted to crush the farmers by occupying their lands, in order to favor the billionaire-magnates. In the process, the present Delhi-elite also attempted to throttle the constitutional-rights of the States to enact and implement laws on certain subjects. Punjab has, always, proven to be a leader in showing the path to the Nation. Hence, Punjab has been constantly irking the Centre, who have been ignoring the hard-factsheet that despite suffering in every way, Punjabi community have made the maximum number of supreme sacrifices of life during all the wars thrust upon India,  and Punjabis continue to man the borders, thwarting the evil-designs of other nations.

 Punjab sidelined and marginalized

Despite all of this, Punjab continues to be ignored thereby rendering it to become devoid of all colors, flavors, radiance and vibrancy, turning a once-flourishing State into a desert. This is the core-query pervading the minds of Punjabis. Would Punjabis be able to jubilantly sing, once again, the popular couplet “the most beautiful place among all places is Punjab, o’ my friends; like rose is the flower amongst flowers, o’ my friends”.

(The author is a retired Principal andwell-known columnist. He is President of Punjabi Columnists Patrakar Manch. He can be reached at Gurmitpalahi@yahoo.com

(Amarjit Singh Anand is a thinker and a writer. He can be reached at asa1ny@yahoo.com)