Arora Wins Panjab’s Ludhiana West; SAD Does Not Gain Voter Confidence

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Sanjeev Arora has won the Panjab’s Ludhiana West Assembly by-poll by a margin of over 10K votes. Indian National Congress' (INC) Bharat Bhushan Ashu was second, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Jiwan Gupta was third and Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD) Paurpkar Singh was fourth. As the several months long high voltage AAP campaign ended on 17 Jun, there were multiple allegations of AAP luring voters with freebies including grocery, clothes, notebooks, school bags, stationery, and so on with images of the candidate party’s symbol ‘broom’ printed on them. Opposition said AAP had brazenly flouted the Model Code of Conduct. The turnout for the election was 51.8%. AAP has increased their vote share from 34.8% in the last elections in 2022 to 39%. The vote share of INC and BJP has fallen by 1.08% and 1.67%, respectively. SAD’s share has gone up marginally by 0.39% but the party still lost its deposit. Since 1995, in Panjab—including this result—23 of the 29 by-polls have been won by the ruling party or alliance candidate. While the winner is not a surprise, in this election SAD was looking for people to ratify its recently re-elected chief Sukhbir Singh Badal despite the Akal Takht’s (Eternal Throne) edicts on 2 Dec. The results show the people do not approve of how SAD violated the edicts. After his loss, taking moral responsibility, Ashu has resigned from his post of working president of the Panjab INC. During his campaign for Arora, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had said if Arora wins, he will be inducted as a minister in the state government. This will pave the way for a top AAP leader to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) which Arora shall vacate. It is being speculated that Kejriwal will be nominated. The election was widely seen as a run up to the 2027 state Assembly elections. AAP seems to have consolidated its position but the challenge from INC remains. BJP and SAD need to ramp up efforts to stay in contention (earlier coverage).

On 18 Jun, on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian PM Mark Carney agreed to restore the top diplomats they had withdrawn in 2023 amid heightened tensions. Carney said, ‘I think today's meeting was important, but I would describe it as foundational, a necessary first step: an exchange of views—frank, open exchange of views around law enforcement and transnational repression, as two examples—an agreement to provide the necessary foundations to begin rebuilding a relationship based on mutual respect, sovereignty, and trust.’ Soon after, a Canadian intelligence agency said India is a ‘perpetrator of foreign interference.’ Carney ducked a question about whether he and Modi had discussed the killing of the Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, during their one-on-one meeting. British Columbia’s premier, David Eby, said he had asked Carney’s government to designate Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang implicated in the Nijjar killing as a terrorist organization in order to help police tackle extortion cases targeting South Asian businesses in the region. 'There are allegations that gangs in India are operating here in our province, and in other provinces, to intimidate and extort business owners. This is a serious step,' Eby said. 'We don’t make this recommendation lightly, but this activity strikes at public confidence in the justice system, in our democracy.' In another news, the World Sikh Organization (WSO) says multiple Sikh leaders in Canada have received notice from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that their lives could be in imminent danger. WSO spokesperson Balpreet Singh said the national police force shared few details about who was behind the threats and provided little in terms of protection or assistance. Balpreet said some leaders were told to change their routines and think about spending time away from their families and friends, but were otherwise 'left to (their) own devices.' He added, 'It’s really an odd situation where you just don’t know where to go. And people that have had to leave their homes, have to leave their families. There’s no end to it' (earlier coverage)

The Hindu Indian diaspora in the US has expressed serious concern over the rapid advancement of a California Senate Bill, SB 509. The bill addresses 'transnational repression' and is seen by Coalition of Hindus of North America and the Hindu American Foundation as a 'potential threat to the civil liberties and safety of minority communities.' The California senate has passed the bill, authored by Senator Anna Caballero and co-authored by Assembly members Esmeralda Soria and Jasmeet Kaur Bains. Bains is the first Sikh-American in the California Assembly. The bill aims to train California law enforcement to detect tactics used by foreign governments to silence diaspora voices, including digital surveillance, coercion, and intimidation. Its momentum grew after the US Department of Justice accused a former Indian intelligence official of plotting to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Meanwhile, On 16 Jun, the US issued a Level-2 travel advisory for India, asking travelers to 'exercise increased caution' due to crime and terrorism threats. The advisory stated, 'Rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India. Violent crimes, including sexual assault, happen at tourist sites and other locations.' In New Zealand, Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki, along with his followers, held a march in central Auckland, claiming that 'the spread of non-Christian religions is now out of control.' The Faith, Flag, and Family march was organized by Destiny Church against immigration and non-Christian religions. Tamaki also targeted Sikhs claiming 'they no longer employ Kiwis.' In another incident, a man is on the run after attacking a person at a South Auckland Gurdwara and injuring a bystander who tried to break up the assault. Police say they are not treating the crime as hate-motivated but would be patrolling the Gurdwara to reassure frightened people who might have witnessed the attack. In Adelaide, Australia, 42-year-old Panjabi man, Gaurav Kundi, has died after spending two weeks on life support. On 3 Jun, Kundi was arguing with his partner Amritpal Kaur on the street when police assumed it was a case of domestic violence and assaulted him (earlier coverage).

On 22 Jun, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said India will never restore the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with neighboring Pakistan. He added, the water in the rivers will be diverted for internal use. India had put the IWT in abeyance after the Pahalgam killings which India describes as an act of terror backed by Pakistan. Meanwhile, India is initiating a feasibility study for a 113 km canal to transfer surplus water from Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) to Panjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. However, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, 'I will never permit this. Let us use our water for ourselves first...There is a drought-like situation in Jammu. Why should I send water to Panjab?' Abdullah referred to the 45-year-old dispute between Panjab and J&K over the construction of the Shahpur Kandi barrage in Pathankot. Signed in 1979, the agreement between the two states saw fruition only in 2018. According to Entry 17 of State List in the Indian Constitution, states can make laws on water including water storage and water power. Abdullah is within his rights to raise objections but all political parties in Panjab have objected to his position. Ruling Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Neel Garg accused him of deliberately politicizing the issue. The union government plans to revive the Ujh multipurpose (hydropower, irrigation, and drinking) project in J&K's Kathua. The canal—linking Chenab with Ravi-Beas-Satluj—will not only ensure full use of the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Satluj) but also help India use its entire allocated share in the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab), stopping additional flow to Pakistan. The union govt also plans to revive the Tulbul navigation project on the Wular Lake in Kashmir. While these are future plans, on ground the Anandpur Sahib hydel canal, a 34-km lifeline for hydroelectric generation in the region, is in a state of severe neglect. The overgrowing weeds lead to disruption in water supply and frequent shutting down of power houses in Ganguwal and Kotla which together generate around 130 MW power (earlier coverage).

On 22 Jun, the Panjab cabinet decided to appoint the state chief secretary Kumar Anugraha Prasad Sinha as the chairman of all local development boards in the state. This move effectively transfers the position from the Chief Minister, who traditionally held this role. To enable this, the cabinet has amended Section 29(3) of the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act. Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, 'The CM has a busy schedule. This change will help streamline proceedings and ensure timely decision-making.' Sinha will now head the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority, Greater Ludhiana Development Authority, and Punjab Urban Development Authority where the land pooling scheme has recently been implemented. Opposition parties in the state have slammed the move. Leader of Opposition, Indian National Congress’ (INC) Partap Singh Bajwa said, 'This is not a policy decision—it is a hostile takeover. The governance in Panjab is being run directly by Kejriwal and his handpicked persons.' Panjab INC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said, 'Replacing CM with an in-service bureaucrat to head various development boards will make the govt completely unaccountable to the public.' Meanwhile, Panjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has approved a 14-point action plan as part of the Integrated State Water Plan to preserve and replenish groundwater in the state. The plan aims to reduce groundwater dependence and promote the use of canal and surface water for irrigation and other needs. The CM expressed concern over the annual average of the lowering of water level by 0.7 meter due to extraction of 5.2 BCM water. He reiterated the govt has already restored 17,000 water courses with an approximate length of about 6,300 km and 79 canals, covering 545 km. In other news, on 15 Jun, leaders of the ruling AAP and opposition INC found common ground as they opposed the union govt’s One Nation, One Election proposal. AAP state president Aman Arora described the proposal as 'a direct assault on the fundamental structure and spirit of the Constitution of India as framed by Babasaheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar' (earlier coverage).

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has reduced by half the commission paid to middlemen for storing wheat. A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained the reason, 'We are left with no choice but to first store wheat in gunny bags at godowns before transferring it to silos. This additional handling adds around USD 1.16 (INR 100) per quintal.' With a total silo storage capacity of about 1M tonnes, the cost hike could amount to nearly USD 11.6M. FCI is recovering part of this cost from middlemen. The reduction in commission has led to opposition from middlemen and farmer unions. Meanwhile, the Panjab government which recently announced single clearance window for new industry has also imposed a levy of INR 2 per kilovolt-ampere hour (kVAh, unit)  for running their factories between 6 pm and 10 pm during the paddy season from 16 Jun to 15 Oct when farmers need dedicated power supply for at least eight hours a day. Though the notification was issued on 29 Mar, industrialists claim it was circulated a day before it was to be implemented. Condemning the move, industrialists said the authorities intentionally kept the notification in hiding. The power cost per unit for industrial consumers is around INR 6.80, with an additional 20% duty. This makes the landing cost of power to industry INR 8.16 per unit. In other news, a recent field study has shown that combining Indian Farmers Fertilisers Cooperative limited (IFFCO)’s Nano Urea Plus and Nano Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) with traditional granules type urea can help farmers save 20% nitrogen and 25% phosphorus, without compromising on crop yield. The test was conducted on potato crops which demand high doses of both Urea and DAP. If other crops also show such results, the findings point to a path forward for farmers looking to reduce the quantity of traditional fertilizers while protecting soil and water health (earlier coverage).

The Panjab government has announced 1K additional posts in the Punjab Civil Medical Services to address the shortfall of doctors in hundreds of rural dispensaries in the state. In 2006, Panjab set up 1,186 rural dispensaries to bring basic medical services closer to villagers. In 2017, 129 dispensaries were transferred from the Rural Development department to the Health Dept. Many medical officers were reassigned to Primary Health Centres and Urban Health Centres, leaving the rural dispensaries understaffed and dysfunctional. Now over 600 rural dispensaries do not have a single medical officer and lack basic infrastructure. In a move aimed at addressing shortage of doctors, the Panjab govt has introduced a bond policy for students enrolling in medical and dentistry courses in state-run medical and dental colleges. The policy, which will come into effect from the academic session 2025-26, mandates that students either serve in govt healthcare facilities for two years after completing their degrees or pay a bond of USD 23K. However, amid widespread unrest over a recent hike in tuition fees and the introduction of a controversial bond policy, the Medical Student Association, Panjab, met Medical Education minister Dr. Balbir Singh at Government Medical College, Amritsar to register their protest. The student delegation submitted a memorandum demanding immediate withdrawal of the corrigendum issued by the Panjab govt on 13 Jun which implements a 5% annual fee increase and formalizes a compulsory service bond. Meanwhile on Panjab govt's 'War on Drugs', on 16 Jun, Panjab Bharatiya Janata Party president Sunil Jakhar has written to Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, seeking a probe into the drug money trail and arrest of the end beneficiaries—politicians across party lines or officials. He said, ‘The drug cartels can’t thrive without patronage. It is imperative to follow the money in the drug money trail, without which the exercise to root out drugs from Panjab is not only futile but a farce as well. Arresting thousands of drug addicts and small players will not make much difference. The elephant in the room has to be addressed.’

On 12 Jun, West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar allegedly threw a slipper at an Sikh man at the crossing of Hazra Road and Harish Chatterjee Street in Kolkata. The place is near West Bengal's Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence. TMC says the slipper hit the Sikh man's turban. On the basis of a complaint by local Sikh community members, a First Information Report has been lodged at the Kalighat police station in south Kolkata. It charges Majumdar with, 'insult to religious belief and hurt religious sentiment and also caused assault to that person.' Dismissing the allegation, BJP’s Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) Member of Parliament Samik Bhattacharya said that it was only not a real slipper but a ‘paper cutting of a slipper.’ It fell on a person from Majumdar’s own security detail. That person has not complained but the Sikh community is up in arms at the behest of the TMC. On 17 Jun, Majumdar apologized to the Sikh community. Meanwhile, in the UK, the Birmingham City Council will recognize Sikh and Jewish identities when collecting data from residents. A motion tabled by Birmingham Labour group to change the way the information is collected in the future was carried at a full council meeting.  Currently, Birmingham City Council questionnaires do not include the categories, despite the city having more than 30K Sikh residents and a 2K-strong Jewish community. The Labour group said while Sikhs and Jews had been legally recognized as ethnic groups for more than 40 years, data was not routinely collected by public bodies. The motion was brought by councillor Jamie Tennant and seconded by councillor Rinkal Kaur Shergill. Describing herself as 'a proud Sikh woman who lived in Birmingham the last 34 years,' Shergill pointed out the National Health Service did not classify Sikh and Jewish communities either, despite them being disproportionately affected by particular diseases and during the pandemic (earlier coverage).

On 17 Jun, After Akal Takht (Eternal Throne) head granthi (reciter) Giani Malkit Singh justified the Amritpal Singh Mehron’s killing of social media influencer Kanchan Kumari, alias Kamal Kaur Bhabhi. On 19 Jun, independent Faridkot Member of Parliament Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa endorsed the act, calling it a 'sacrifice by Mehron for the Sikh Panth (Collective).' Khalsa, accompanied by jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh’s father Tarsem Singh, visited Mehron village in Moga and met Mehron’s family. Khalsa said, '90% people believe it was a justified act. What is there to condemn? He has ruined his own life too. No one does such a thing happily. This is his sacrifice for the Panth.' However, Tarsem Singh said he does not endorse the killing and added, 'Social media accounts promoting unethical content should be suspended.' Mehron had threatened another influencer, Deepika Luthra who has now deleted her Instagram page. Another influencer, Chand Singh from village Bandra, Bathinda also threatened by Mehron, said, 'Mehron cannot target the big singers and actors who use cuss words in their content, so he comes after small content creators trying to make a living from small villages. But I have apologized.' While some—certainly not 90%—believe Kumari calling herself Kaur and posting what seemed ‘vulgar content’ was an attack on Sikh religion, neither the Sikh Rehit Maryada (code of conduct) nor the law permits such killings by vigilante groups. That a granthi who educates others on maryada which forbids killing women (and unarmed) or an elected representative who has taken his oath on the Constitution of India are bowing to popular opinion is wrong and signals a shift in Panjab society towards mob justice. Nihang (traditional Sikh warrior) leader Harjeet Singh Rasulpur criticized Mehron for blackmailing people. He said, 'If anyone is feeling threatened by Mehron, they are free to approach me and I will stand by them. Why are Mehron and his men even watching this kind of content? If somebody wants to show their own character through their social media posts, what is Mehron’s business in it?' (earlier coverage).

Between 1900 and 1920, Sikhs migrated from Rawalpindi—current Pakistan, then the British ruled India and undivided Panjab—to Iran in search of work opportunities. After World War I, some Sikhs were given trucks as compensation. They started a trucking business in Zahedan from undivided Panjab. Former professor of religious studies at Punjabi University, Patiala, and a visiting professor at the University of Religion in Iran, Harpal Singh Pannu explains, 'Panjabis found out that the land there is similar to Panjab and cheaper. They started buying land and settled in a village named Doshteyab.' Veteran journalist and filmmaker Sayed Naqvi says, 'Sikhs live comfortably in Iran, mix with locals and speak Persian. Although initially the Sikhs went through the transport business, they have gradually expanded into industries and other activities.' Iran has two Gurdwaras, one in Zahedan and the other in Tehran. The Gurdwara Management Committee, Tehran, has said the Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurdwara has been (BGSSG) open throughout the conflict but without prakash (illumination; ceremonial opening) of the Guru Granth Sahib. Lajpal Singh, former BGSSG vice-president has expressed concern over the security of four saroop (tome) at the Gurdwara. They urged the Indian embassy in Tehran to provide a room in the embassy premises for the Sikh holy scriptures. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has appealed to the Indian union government to ensure safety of Sikh religious scriptures in Iran and Israel. The conflict and earlier closing of the India-Pakistan border has severely hit import and export of dry fruit, rice, chemicals, blankets, wooden chess sets, and other articles to and from Panjab to Iran and Israel. Basmati rice prices, which saw an increase of 15-20% in the past two months due to higher exports, are expected to decrease in the upcoming weeks as exports to Iran may decline. According to the Indian Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Development Agency, Iran ranks as the third-largest purchaser of Indian basmati rice. The conflict is also expected to reduce the flow of tourists to Amritsar from Israel, Iran, France, Spain, and Italy in July and August (earlier coverage).