Modi Pushes ‘One Nation, One Election'

In his Independence Day speech on 15 Aug, Indian PM Narendra Modi pitched for ‘One Nation, One Election.’ The slogan stands for the whole nation going through one election for state assemblies and at the national level, a proposal BJP’s has advocated since their 2014 Election Manifesto. In March 2024 the panel led by former Indian President Ram Nath Kovind submitted its report. 32 parties were in favor, most of them were part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). 15 parties were against, mostly the opposition. However, to bring such a change, the govt. needs a two-third majority in both houses of the Parliament. With the NDA govt. barely in majority, such a proposal will not succeed. On 16 Aug, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced dates for elections in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). By-polls for four assembly seats in Panjab were not announced. The Haryana elections will be on 1 Oct, J&K in three phases, results for both would be declared on 4 Oct. These would be J&K’s first elections in ten years, also since the Abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, and demotion of the region’s status from state to union territory. The elections were necessitated because of a Supreme Court of India order. This time, in J&K, Kashmiri Sikhs will contest 8-12 seats independently. Since the last three terms, Haryana elections have been conducted simultaneously with Maharashtra elections. The reason for the split in elections is the BJP is facing anti-incumbency in both states but the Election Commissioner cited lack of preparation, resources and festivals for the delay in Maharashtra elections, casting doubt on BJP’s rhetoric to conduct simultaneous state and national elections for the whole country.

Indian PM Narendra Modi pitched for Uniform Civil Code (UCC), framing it as a Secular Civil Code in his Independence Day speech on 15 Aug. He said the framing was to differentiate it from the existing ‘communal civil code.’ The reiteration of this objective was to please the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). UCC is RSS’s project to dismantle the community-specific laws of India’s diverse communities and bring them all under one law. The PM’s use of the word secular is an inversion of ground realities. The RSS and BJP are communal parties committed to Hindutva ideology and have long undermined the concept of secularism. Now the PM is advocating the UCC as a secular law, a tactic aimed at cornering the Opposition and making it difficult for them to argue against it without appearing to reject secularism. The move has been cautiously received by National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies like Janata Dal (United) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP). The Indian Muslim Personal Law Board has announced UCC is not acceptable to them. In the past, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has said the UCC ‘undermines the Sikh identity.’ Though the BJP does not have the numbers to pass such a law in Parliament, they must explain what they will do with the concept of the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF). HUF is a provision for Hindu families — especially businesses that back the BJP — to enjoy tax exemptions on incomes by declaring themselves as descendants from the same ancestor. BJP would be reluctant to dismantle HUF so UCC seems to be another trick to corner the Opposition.

15 Aug, India’s Independence Day, is always difficult for Panjab. On this day, the gap between the administration and the people is most glaring. News reports emphasize how the day was celebrated with patriotic fervor across Panjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh. Flag hoisting ceremonies were held at various district headquarters. Panjab Governor and Union Territory Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria hoisted the national flag in Chandigarh, while Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya unfurled the flag in Yamunanagar. For the first time, a bulletproof glass screen was used for the security of Panjab CM Mann during his address at Guru Gobind Singh Stadium in Jalandhar. The BJP asked: ‘what does such arrangement and cover deployment reflect towards the law & order situation of Panjab?’ No one mentioned the Partition of Panjab and Bengal. Two years back, the mainstream media mentioned the ardas (prayers) at Akal Takht (Eternal Throne, Sikh Seat of Justice and Authority) for the victims of Partition. This year there was no mention, while prayers were still held. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Akal Takht jathedar (leader) Giani Raghbir Singh said that during Partition, Panjabis suffered a lot, the Sikhs suffered the most. The line that was drawn during partition was drawn on the chest of Panjab. He said it is sad that even after 77 years, the govts. of both India and Pakistan have not said two words of regret for the people who were killed. He echoed the sense of loss felt by those impacted by Partition, and those who care deeply for Panjab.

On 12 Aug, the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted bail to an accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), citing the fundamental right to a speedy trial as protected by Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The Division Bench emphasized that while the conditions for granting bail under UAPA are stringent, the court must ensure that the lengthy trial process does not become a punishment in itself. The accused, a 26-year-old, had been in custody for one year and eight months, with no recovery of incriminating material. The Bench noted none of the 25 prosecution witnesses had been examined, making it impossible to predict when the trial would conclude (SDW Vol 2 Issue 10, Story 4). In Panjab, between 2021-22, the number of individuals incarcerated under UAPA saw an increase, from 14 to 25. In India, this number jumped from 796 in 2020 to 1,005 in 2022. The conviction rate under UAPA is less than 3%. One reason for the rise is a 2019 amendment to UAPA which authorizes state police to charge individuals under the act. Earlier UAPA was for organizations and authorization was by the National Investigative Agency (NIA). In another case, under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (PIT-NDPS), Panjab Police have transferred Balwinder Singh, a drug smuggler, to Assam’s Dibrugarh Jail where Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh is also lodged. Balwinder was apprehended during a joint operation by the Narcotics Control Bureau and Panjab Police. This is Panjab's first case of an NDPS detainee being sent to an out-of-state jail with approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

In 2023, a total of 96,555 Indian nationals visited the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan, paying over $2M in fees. The fee, set at $20 per visitor, allows visa-free entry to the shrine. The data was presented to the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) on 8 Aug, revealing an increase in visitors from 2022 from 86,097. The Kartarpur Corridor, which allows pilgrims to travel to the gurdwara located just 2 km from the Indian border in Gurdaspur district, was established through a bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan on 24 Oct 2019. Pakistan’s Sikhs still face discrimination and sporadic attacks. On 11 Aug, three days before Pakistan’s Independence Day, the country’s Sikh and Hindu communities observed "National Minority Day" to bring attention to continuous attacks, persecution, and discrimination they face. Since 2013, approximately 30 Sikh politicians, activists, and businessmen have been killed in targeted attacks. Radesh Singh Tony, former parliamentary candidate, survived three assassination attempts in 2018, which forced him and his family to seek refuge in India. Recently, Pakistan police have rescued a Sikh woman, identified as ‘MK,’ and her minor son from alleged illegal confinement in Faisalabad, where they were held for nine months by two brothers. The woman was allegedly raped and tortured. Faisalabad City Police raided the suspects’ house on 14 Aug 2024 and successfully rescued the mother and her son.

The cash-starved Panjab govt. might have found a middle path to seek the grants held up under National Health Mission (NHM). The govt. has proposed to the union govt. that it would re-name the Aam Aadmi Clinics as Ayushman Arogya Centres, instead of Ayushman Arogya Mandir. While the ruling AAP has given up the label ‘Aam Aadmi’ which is part of the political party’s name, it expects the BJP union govt. to also give up the fixation on mandir (temple). At stake is the NHM grant amounting to $13.5M. The union govt. withheld these funds over Panjab’s failure to comply with branding guidelines and disagreements over levies, impacting critical infrastructure projects like rural road repairs. Beyond the NHM funds, Panjab is also negotiating with the union govt. for the release of the Rural Development Fund and Mandi Development Fund, totalling $81.7M. The state Finance Department has warned that without a fresh infusion of funds, salaries for August may not be paid. Health services were paralysed in Panjab on 17 Aug with all private hospitals under the banner of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) deciding not to provide outpatient department (OPD) and other routine health services in protest against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. According to the IMA, only emergency surgeries were conducted by the private hospitals throughout Panjab. In government health facilities, the OPD services remained hit for the second consecutive day. The strike has been nationwide and now the Supreme Court of India has conducted a suo moto hearing on the case.

On 7 Aug, Panjab CM Mann launched the state’s first carbon credit compensation program, distributing an initial installment of $211K to 818 farmers in Hoshiarpur. This initiative, part of a $5.4M pilot project, covers 3,686 farmers across Panjab’s Kandi region – the region between the Shivalik hills and the plains. The program compensates farmers for planting and maintaining trees on their agricultural land, contributing to CO₂ reduction and offering an additional income stream. The program aims to address Panjab’s critical environmental issues, including groundwater depletion and soil pollution, by promoting agroforestry. This initiative not only supports environmental sustainability but also provides economic benefits to farmers, making it a potential model for other regions facing similar ecological challenges. On the other hand, in Mukerian and Hoshiarpur districts, a troubling trend has emerged over the past decade. The mining mafia has lured farmers into selling their fertile land to stone crusher operators and for mining soil, resulting in long-term devastation. Initially tempted by the offer of quick money — ranging from $10-12K per acre — farmers leased their land, only to see it turned into barren pits up to 40-feet deep. This practice has now affected nearly 300 acres in villages like Mehatpur and Pandori. Despite petitions and court orders, enforcement remains weak, and the situation continues to deteriorate, putting both the environment and the livelihoods of local farmers at risk. Mining has come dangerously close to residential areas, exacerbated by environmental risks from nearby hydel canals. Local Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) activists and the Zameen Bachao Committee have organized to raise awareness among farmers and halt these activities, but the problem remains pervasive.

The population of birds at Ropar Wetland Conservation Reserve has dropped from 3,808 from 56 species in 2020 to 1,764 from 43 species in 2023. The Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary has also witnessed a steady decline in the bird population from 4,533 from 33 species 2020 to 3,135 from 33 species in 2023. The numbers were mentioned in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) in response to MP Satnam Singh Sandhu’s question: ‘whether the govt. is aware of the declining bird species diversity and declining summer breeding in Panjab?’ Providing details, the written reply by Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State, Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said the data was based on information provided by Panjab. Panjab’s three wetlands — Harike, Kanjli, and Ropar — have been designated as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas considered important globally for the conservation of bird populations. Along with three other sites – Beas Reserve, Keshopur-Miani Reserve, and Nangal Sanctuary – they are all protected areas under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. According to ecologist and conservationist TK Roy, ‘Climate change, human intervention and disturbance, including public movement, cattle grazing, cleaning, and firewood collection are possible reasons behind the decline.’ Panjab CM Mann recently announced the Malwa Canal to irrigate Gidderbaha, Lambi, and other areas of Malwa (SDW Vol 2 Issue 28, Story 6). Officials of the Forest Department and the Water Resources Department revealed that over 50K trees in Muktsar and 70K in Ferozepur forest divisions would have to be axed for the construction of the canal. Opposition parties and experts are questioning the technical viability of the proposed project.

Jandpur village, located in Panjab’s Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) district, is home to a few hundred migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The village has now imposed rules restricting the movement and behavior of these migrant workers. The eleven rules include a 9 pm curfew, mandatory police verification, ban on smoking, chewing tobacco, wearing revealing clothing, and so on. Home owners are required to provide dustbins to prevent spitting on roads and will be held accountable if their tenants engage in illegal activities. The rules also limit the number of people allowed to dwell in a room. The village council, including local youth committees, justify these restrictions as necessary to curb disturbances such as late-night brawls and disrespectful behavior near religious sites. After the Kharar sub-district police and administration officers intervened and questioned the villagers’ authority to impose such diktats, the villagers agreed to apply the rules equally to everyone. The village’s actions mirror the vigilantism of Resident Welfare Associations in urban areas, driven by a breakdown in the civic system. However, these measures have already caused some migrants to leave. If more villages follow suit, Panjab could face a serious dilemma. Panjab faces a mass exodus of native residents while increasingly relying on migrant workers, yet cultural clashes with these workers continue to strain local sensibilities.

Following the 1947 Partition, the Sikh community, who had to migrate from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), were deprived of access to their gurdwaras for decades. The situation changed after the 1971 war between India and Pakistan, when Bangladesh gained independence. A delegation from the Takht Sri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib (TSHPS) , assisted by Indian Army officers, including Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Arora, visited Bangladesh to assess the condition of the historical gurdwaras left behind in 1947. They identified seven gurdwaras, including Gurdwara Nanak Shahi and Sangat Tola in Dhaka, and others in Chittagong, Sylhet, and Mymensingh. Many of these gurdwaras had been demolished or repurposed by the then Pakistan govt., and others were deteriorating due to neglect. Bangladesh has a rich Sikh history, with Guru Nanak and Guru Tegh Bahadur having visited the region. After the war and independence, Bangladesh’s leaders joined in a special congregation to restore the decorum of Gurdwara Nanak Shahi. Despite this, only five of the original gurdwaras remain functional, with the Sikh population dwindling to around 23,000. In Dec 2023, SGPC expressed interest in sending Sikh jathas to Bangladesh. The then govt. spoke about the possibility of allowing annual Sikh pilgrimages to historic gurdwaras. During the current political upheaval, and rumors and fears of attacks on non-Muslim sites, no attacks on the country’s five operational historical gurdwaras have been reported.