Independents are Key Winners in Haryana Gurdwara Elections

On 19 Jan, the first elections to the office bearers of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) took place with most of the results declared on the same day. The HSGMC was created from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in 2014 to have a separate functional body for Haryana. At that time, the Indian National Congress was in power in the state. Since then, for the last decade, Bharatiya Janata Party has been in power in the state and has repeatedly nominated ad hoc panels to the HSGMC but has never conducted elections. The elections were for 40 seats out of which one candidate, Amanpreet Kaur from Tohana (Ward 25), had been elected unopposed. 164 candidates were in the fray, out of which only 7 were women. Haryana has 356,184 registered Sikh voters, including 190,882 women. The voter turnout was 69.85%. Organisations who fielded candidates were: former HSGMC (ad hoc) president Jagdish Singh Jhinda’s Panthak Dal (Jhinda), former senior vice president Didar Singh Nalvi’s Sikh Samaj Sanstha, Haryana Sikh Panthak Dal (HSPD), and Gurdwara Sangharsh Committee Haryana. Additionally, around 100 candidates contested as independents, some of them were supported by Baljit Singh Daduwal. 21 independents were elected. Jhinda’s Panthak Dal won 11 seats. Shiromani Akali Dal's front in Haryana, the HSPD led by Baldev Singh Kaimpuri, managed to win four seats. Daduwal lost from Kalanwali by over 1.7K votes. He alleged mismanagement in both elections and enrollment of electoral rolls. The rule book says, the majority winning group will nominate nine members to the HSGMC. The 49 members will choose a president and executive body. However, since the majority winners are independents, it needs to be seen how the HSGMC president and executive body will be chosen.

On 18 Jan, Union govt. officials visited Khanauri, Panjab-Haryana interstate border where farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal was on Day 54 of his hunger strike demanding legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops, across India. Once the Union govt. invited Dallewal and other farm leaders for talks on 14 Feb—citing the Delhi elections for the delay—Dallewal accepted medical aid. On 15 Jan, 121 farmers, including 10 farmers from Haryana, had joined Dallewal’s fast-unto-death pledge. They too ended their fast. On the Shambhu interstate border, the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha had announced another foot march to Delhi by 101 farmers, but postponed it until talks with the Union govt. had concluded. The plan for a Tractor March on 26 Jan, India’s Republic Day, still stands. Meanwhile, Haryana’s khap panchayats (village council of elders) announced their conditional formal support for the farmers’ protest in Panjab, insisting they will only join the agitation if all farmer unions unite on a single platform (WD Vol 3, Issue 3, Story 2). Panjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar has challenged the demand for MSP for all farmers all over the country saying Panjab farmers would squander their special advantage because the provision for MSP was introduced specifically to procure wheat and rice from Panjab and Haryana. He urged Panjab’s AAP govt. to call an emergency Assembly session to debate the matter. Amid these developments, arrest warrants have been issued against 25 members of the Bharti Kisan Union(Krantikari) and Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union in connection with the 5 Jan 2022 alleged security breach involving Indian PM Narendra Modi. In that incident, farmers were over a kilometer away from PM Modi’s cavalcade but the state’s AAP has chosen to file charges now after three years.

Panjab formally rejected the Union govt.’s National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM), deeming it unconstitutional and threatening to dismantle its robust Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) system. In a letter to the Union Ministry of Agriculture on 8 Jan, the Panjab govt. contended that the draft fails to address farmers’ fundamental demand for a legally mandated Minimum Support Price. Panjab’s additional chief secretary Anurag Verma termed the framework an attempt to reintroduce features of the repealed 2021 farm laws. Panjab also objected to proposed cuts in the Rural Development Fund and Market Development Fund from 3% to 1% each. Officials criticized the policy’s silence on the 2.5% commission for arhtiyas (commission agents), who procure wheat and rice worth USD 11.6B annually. The arhtiyas argued that the six-decade-old Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961 offers a robust, state-regulated framework that should be adopted nationwide instead of the Union govt.’s proposed NPFAM. While private markets are allowed, they require stringent licensing, preventing undue corporate concentration. In contrast, the NPFAM favors deregulation, simpler licensing, and private investment in facilities like silos and cold storage, potentially eroding Panjab’s APMC system. Amid this, official data as of 1 Jan shows that India’s rice stocks have soared to a record 60.9M metric tons (MTs), more than eight times the government target of 7.6M, while wheat reserves stand at 18.4M MTs, falling below the five-year average of 26.7M. On 14 Jan, data also showed wheat sowing in India rose by 1.38% compared to last year, reaching 32M hectares so far in the 2024-25 rabi (winter) season (WD Vol 2, Issue 40, Story 8). It must be noted that the huge increase in rice stock is an example of mismanagement because farmers have struggled to sell rice on profit and now the Food Corporation of India will struggle to store the rice.

Political leaders from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Indian National Congress (INC) have jointly condemned the Union govt.’s move to redesignate the post of Chandigarh Union Territory adviser as a chief secretary to the Panjab Governor-cum-Chandigarh Administrator. They view it as an attempt to undermine Panjab’s long-standing claim to Chandigarh (WD Vol 2, Issue 47, Story 1). AAP spokesperson Neel Garg questioned the rationale for installing a chief secretary when Chandigarh is neither a state nor has a CM. He also noted that,at the time of the reorganization of Panjab in 1966, Haryana received INR 1.2M for a new capital, but Chandigarh was never given to Panjab. INC leader and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa labeled the move a ‘direct attack’ on Panjab’s legitimate claim. Former SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal recalled commitments made by previous PMs and endorsed by Parliament of India for Chandigarh’s transfer to Panjab, adding that commissions concluded there were no Hindi-speaking areas left to give to Haryana in exchange. Meanwhile, around 300 AAP leaders from Panjab, including all state cabinet ministers, MLAs, chairpersons of boards and corporations, and volunteers, are heading to Delhi to boost the party’s campaign for the 5 Feb Delhi election. CM Bhagwant Singh Mann is expected to hold road shows and public rallies in the days ahead, promoting his and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s governance model. At the same time, Panjab, having experienced at least five election cycles in 2024, likely faces two more Assembly by-elections in 2025. Ludhiana (West) MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi died last week from what is being described as ‘self inflicted gun shots’ and Banga MLA Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi quit SAD to join AAP in August 2024 but is yet to resign from his seat.

The Kangana Ranaut movie Emergency, costing USD 6.9M released on 17 Jan and has earned USD 1.7M until Day 4 with occupancy in theatres at 7.1%. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had earlier sent a legal notice to the movie makers saying it misrepresented Sikhs (WD Vol 2, Issue 36, Story 4). For example, the role of SAD in opposing the Emergency (1975-1977), not compromising with former PM Indira Gandhi, and the courting of thousands of arrests are historical facts. The movie does not even show it, let alone mention these events. SGPC has requested Panjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann to prohibit the movie screening in Panjab. Ranaut denounced the ban as ‘complete harassment of art and the artist,’ asserting her respect for all religions. Meanwhile, Diljit Dosanjh's biopic Panjab ’95, centered on human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra who was abducted and extra judicially killed in 1995, is navigating censorship challenges. Initially facing 85 and then over 120 proposed cuts by the Central Board of Film Certification, the movie’s producers rejected requests to alter its title and content. On 18 Jan, the protagonist of the movie Diljit Dosanjh posted the movie trailer announcing its international release on 7 Feb, bypassing Indian theaters. Dosanjh emphasized the film’s commitment to truth and honoring Khalra's legacy. Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalra, wife of Jaswant Singh Khalra stated, ‘It was our commitment that the film should be released without cuts.’ On 20 Jan, the movie’s director Honey Trehan posted a cryptic message expressing regret to viewers and saying the film will not release 7 Feb. No explanation was given but the reasons can be surmised from the tough struggle the film has faced since it went for certification in 2022 (WD Vol 2, Issue 30, Story 9).

In a recent viral video, an unnamed Sikh passenger, who was traveling to Spain, was reportedly barred from boarding an international flight at Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ramdas JiInternational Airport after he declined to remove his kara (iron bangle) and kirpan (traditional sword), two of the five mandatory kakar (articles of faith) for devout Sikhs. The passenger compared the move with his previous experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic when traveling on Air France and Emirates who allowed him to carry the articles of faith. Sikh passengers flying internationally from Panjab’s Amritsar and Delhi airports have repeatedly raised alarms over being forced to remove kirpans and necklaces even when the articles of faith are miniatures. Despite earlier international travels where they faced no such restriction, multiple travelers report that domestic security personnel at Amritsar airport, acting on Bureau of Civil Aviation Security guidelines, insist these metal symbols are disallowed on international flights. Recently, 77-year-old Canadian citizen Gurcharan Singh Banwait was detained at Amritsar airport for over 36 hours without basic assistance. Then he was deported to Canada. Banwait regularly travels to India for his healthcare charity. Indian authorities' action has once again raised concerns about the use of a black list to target Sikhs and journalists. According to newly released documents from Canada’s Hogue Commission—an inquiry into foreign interference in elections—Canadian Sikh community members have stated that they face systematic threats and harassment, allegedly orchestrated by Indian authorities. The statements detail how Indian agents purportedly spy on Sikh Gurdwaras, retaliate against protestors’ families in India, and revoke or deny visas in exchange for cooperation. Meanwhile, the Sikh Federation International raised Panjab's enforced disappearances by the Indian army at the United Nation's first World Congress on Enforced Disappearances.

Amid poor pay scales, limited career advancement, and competition from higher-paying private facilities, Panjab’s government hospitals are struggling to retain doctors and specialists. Although the AAP administration advertises a robust health infrastructure, nearly 40% of medical officer posts and 45% of specialist posts lie vacant. Even the largest-ever recruitment drive, offering 400 positions for MBBS doctors, saw only 304 appointment letters issued, with 100 appointees not joining. Over the past 13 years, about 2.7K medical officers have been hired; however, more than 700 have since resigned. Medical professionals note that Panjab revoked the assured career progression system in 2021, unlike Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan, where promotions follow 4, 9, and 14 years of service. The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) announced on 16 Jan that around 2.5K doctors in the PCMSA would resume their strike from 20 Jan, citing the govt.’s failure to fulfil written promises made after their September 2024 agitation (WD Vol 2, Issue 38, Story 5). Their demands include regular recruitment to address manpower shortages and the restoration of the Dynamic Assured Career Progression scheme for doctors. However, on 19 Jan, the PCMSA decided to defer the strike until 23 Feb following a round of ‘fruitful deliberations’ with officials of the health department. Meanwhile, chemists in Bathinda kept their medical stores closed on 18-19 Jan, protesting the police and health department’s recent raids on local pharmacies and the arrest of a staff member in Rama Mandi for allegedly possessing expired medicine strips. The protests, organised by the District Chemists Association, began on 17 Jan with a sit-in near Mall Road Chowk and moved to Hanuman Chowk on 18 Jan, where Aam Aadmi Party MLA Jagroop Singh Gill intervened. Gill pledged that the police administration would withdraw the case by 20 Jan, prompting the protestors to disperse.

On 19 Jan, villagers, farmers, and activists under the banner of the Public Action Committee (PAC), along with sarpanches (village leaders) from Rampur, Katana Sahib, and Lal Kalan, staged a yatra (pilgrimage) from Gurdwara Charan Kamal Sahib in Machhiwara through Chamkaur Sahib to Katana Sahib, protesting what they call a ‘highly apathetic attitude’ of the govt. toward the region’s historical forests and sacred waters. According to the protesters, heritage forests at Machhiwara—where the tenth founder of Sikh religion Guru Gobind Singh stopped to rest after leaving the fort at Chamkaur Sahib—are at risk due to rapid expansion projects and questionable priorities that appear to ignore both historical significance and the environment’s well-being. Amid this, Panjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, following a request by Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagde for immediate corrective measures, sought a detailed report from CM Bhagwant Singh Mann on the escalating pollution crisis in the river Satluj. Kataria forwarded Bagde’s demi-official letter emphasizing the discharge of toxic industrial chemicals from Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Phagwara, and other areas into Buddha Nullah, which ultimately merges into the river Satluj. Stressing that the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (water resources) also views this issue as requiring multi-departmental action by the Panjab government, Kataria urged CM Mann to explain the severity of pollution, the remedial steps taken so far, and future plans. Concurrently, efforts to curb pollution in the Buddha Nullah have gained traction following a review meeting led by Kataria, with municipal corporation officials unveiling fresh strategies to prevent cow dung from being dumped directly into the drain. Although cow dung is not a severe pollutant due to it being biological waste. The main pollutants leading to illnesses such as cancer are chemical wastes from dyeing industries, which continue undeterred. The National Green Tribunal has so far halted coercive action against common effluent treatment plants that had previously been issued closure notices, awaiting the next hearing set for 20 Feb (WD Vol 2, Issue 51, Story 5).

Rural Panjab is experiencing a quiet revolution with the surge in libraries and reading rooms across villages, offering students—from aspirants of govt. jobs to Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) candidates—a cost-free, dedicated space to study. One example is Lopon village in Moga, where a community-run library facilitated by Manpreet Sharma, who secured the 83^rd rank in the 2023 UPSC reserve list. In Bathinda’s village Maur Kalan, another library launched in 2015 has helped local youth gain computer skills and now aims to start English-speaking courses. These examples reflect a broader movement: Bhutal Kalan village in Sangrur has separate libraries for men and women—one at a Gaushala (cow shed), another at a Gurdwara—so far enabling over 20 youths to secure jobs in teaching, the army, and the police. Besides privately funded libraries, village panchayats (councils) are converting old buildings into reading spaces. Mansa, for instance, renovated a dilapidated structure last year into a free library where around 50 students gather daily. The state govt. has also revived 114 rural libraries under the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, with 179 more in the pipeline. Activist Makhan Lal Garg, who leads the Punjab Library Movement, underlines that many rural libraries operate without trained librarians—often staffed by caretakers earning INR 5-10K monthly. Meanwhile, the Unified District Information System for Education Plus 2023-24 report reveals, for the first time, private schools now enroll more students than govt. schools. Of the total 5.9M students from pre-primary to Class 12, 2.9M are in private schools, compared to 2.8M in govt. institutions. Panjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains noted that around 70K ‘ghost admissions’ were recently removed from govt. records, contributing to the drop in govt. school enrollment.

In Panjab’s annual Lohri celebrations, the legend of Rai Abdullah Khan Bhatti—popularly known as Dulla Bhatti—stands central as elders pass on stories of his defiance against Mughal rule in the 16th century. A folk hero often likened to Robin Hood, Dulla is said to have looted imperial caravans and redistributed wealth among the needy, aiming to disrupt Emperor Akbar’s authority and avenge the executions of his father and grandfather. Folklore holds that he famously rescued two Brahmin (dominant upper caste) girls, Sundri and Mundri, from being forced into Akbar’s harem, later arranging their weddings with great pomp. Born shortly after his father Farid Bhatti was killed and his corpse displayed to the populace as a warning by the Mughals, Dulla initially remained unaware of his lineage until provoked by a villager who mocked him for minor mischief, prompting him to confront his mother Ladhi and embrace his father’s weapons. Historically, the Bhatti clan had resisted Akbar’s revenue reforms, which centralized tax collection in ways that threatened local chieftains’ influence. Dulla’s guerrilla raids and sabotage in the Bari Doab region forced Akbar to recalibrate his approach, offering land revenue exemptions to maintain stability. Dulla was ultimately captured and publicly hanged in Lahore in 1599, refusing to yield even at the gallows. Dulla is often immortalized in popular Panjabi folk music, such as Sundar Mundriye, written in the Vaar (ballad) style of poetry—a war ballad-style of writing—song on the Lohri festival. Dulla is a contemporary of the Sufi saint Shah Hussain and the fifth founder of Sikh religion Guru Arjan. Today, his saga transcends religious lines as Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs jointly revere him for his bravery and benevolence, reaffirming the spirit of unity at every Lohri (WD Vol 2, Issue 3, Story 10).