Panjab Govt. Rejects Draft NPFAM, SKM Lauds Move

On 25 Feb, the Panjab assembly unanimously passed a resolution rejecting the Union government’s draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM), deeming it an indirect attempt to reinstate the repealed 2021 farm laws. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann accused the Union govt. of undermining Panjab by withholding rural development funds and allegedly targeting deportees by routing flights to Amritsar. Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa of the Indian National Congress (INC) supported the resolution, warning it would erode the Agricultural Produce Market Committee system. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha lauded Panjab’s stance, urging other states to follow suit to protect farmers’ interests and federal rights. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Panjab chief Sunil Jakhar said, ‘If NPFAM is not up to the mark, then, what is stopping the Panjab CM from implementing the draft state policy?’ The state draft policy proposes an Agriculture Cost and Price Commission and alternative marketing systems. In another development, a heated debate in the Panjab assembly saw Bajwa accuse the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of collecting ‘party funds’ from govt. officials. He cited a complaint involving an upright superintendent from the State Electricity Board in Hoshiarpur. AAP ministers dismissed it as baseless and highlighted corruption under the prior INC regime. Separately, consumers in Panjab will now face higher liquor costs due to the revised Excise Policy, 2025–26 which aims to collect an additional USD 100M by levying extra licence fees at the first sale stage and increasing the special cess for gaushalas (cow sheds). Furthermore, AAP’s decision to field Rajya Sabha (Upper House) Member of Parliament Sanjeev Arora for the Ludhiana West bypoll ignited speculation that former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal might seek a Rajya Sabha seat from Panjab, a claim swiftly denied by AAP leaders. The Ludhiana West seat fell vacant after the death of sitting Member of Legislative Assembly Gurpreet Bassi Gogi, and the bypoll is mandated within six months.

On 26 Feb, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has called a week-long protest in Chandigarh starting 5 Mar. The charter of 17 demands included that Panjab government reject the proposed National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM). While this demand has been met, the other demands from the state include: incorporate suggestions from farmer organizations into the state’s agricultural policy, stop the eviction of hereditary tenant farmers, and coordinate with the union govt. to enact a legal framework for debt relief. The charter also has demands related to crop diversification, measures to prevent industrial and sewage pollution of rivers, drains, and groundwater and so on. SKM is concerned that certain amendments in Panjab’s Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act, 2012 mirror parts of the NPFAM, fostering doubts about the govt.’s ability or willingness to oppose the policy. On 3 Mar, the Panjab govt. invited SKM leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal and Joginder Singh Ugrahan to a meeting to discuss the demands. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann urged the leaders to cancel the protest but when they raised concerns he walked out of the meeting. CM Mann said, ‘I told the farmers that your road and rail blocks, strikes and protests are causing problems for Panjab. The state is being seen as a site of protests. Do not think just because I am soft with you, I cannot take harsh action on you.’ Hours after the talks broke down, Panjab police raided various farmer leaders overnight, put them under house arrest or detained them. On 4 Mar, SKM announced it would go ahead with the protest. Panjab’s official opposition party, the Indian National Congress, condemned the govt.’s move. Panjab’s AAP govt. had just won kudos by rejecting the proposed National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing but now its draconian actions and the CM’s statement have eroded the goodwill earned.

Panjab’s fight against drugs intensified as Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on 28 Feb named it ‘War on Drugs’ and directed officials to eradicate the menace within three months, forming a zero-tolerance strategy and pledging special courts for speedy trials. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government criticized the union govt.for failing to stop cross-border smuggling from Pakistan, citing the Border Security Force’s jurisdiction up to 50 km inside Panjab. To oversee the crackdown, the govt. constituted a five-member Cabinet committee, led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, focusing on dismantling supply lines, identifying drug hotspots, and rehabilitating addicts. Meanwhile, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal warned that those profiting from the drug trade ‘will not be spared.’ Panjab police subsequently launched multiple raids across 28 police districts. On 1 Mar, police conducted 798 raids during a four-hour Cordon-and-Search Operation, arresting 290 suspected smugglers and registering 232 First Information Reports (FIR). An official statement said around 900 teams with over 8K police personnel cordoned off 369 hotspots, checked more than 2K suspects, and arrested five proclaimed offenders. On 2 Mar, police raided 510 locations statewide, and arrested 43 alleged smugglers, registering 27 FIRs. It must be noted this is AAP’s fourth deadline in three years to ‘end drugs’ in Panjab. The first deadline was a promise made in 2022 ahead of Panjab elections. Panjab ministers contend that thousands have been apprehended since 2022. This was the claim of the previous govts. as well—Indian National Congress (2017-2022) and Shiromani Akali Dal (2007-2017). Despite these developments, according to the Drug Policy Alliance 2018 and the Global Commission on Drug Policy 2019, drug wars often fail and intensify gang violence, fuel mass incarceration, and divert vital resources from treatment centers for rehabilitation. They also exacerbate public health issues, stigmatize users, and fail to diminish substance use or protect communities.

Panjab intensified its ‘War on Drugs’ by demolishing alleged traffickers’ houses in Ludhiana, Patiala, and Phillaur to disrupt illicit trade. Among the first structures razed was that of Sonu in Talwandi village, Ludhiana, with police calling it a landmark step. Similarly, Patiala authorities bulldozed the residence of Rinki, who faces over ten Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases, marking a bulldozer model reminiscent of operations in Uttar Pradesh and other Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states. Additional demolitions in Phillaur targeted property built on gram panchayat (village council) land by Jasvir Singh, alias Sheera, and Bholi, both accused of repeated narcotics offences. Meanwhile, a viral video capturing alleged drug peddler Kulbir Kaur in Ludhiana proclaiming, ‘I will continue to sell drugs,’ prompted officials to raze part of her house. In November 2024, the Supreme Court of India (SCI) had laid down pan-India guidelines for property demolition, ruling that an executive cannot become a judge and cautioning states against collective punishment. The SCI insists on 15 days’ notice, reasoned orders, and videographic documentation, emphasizing the principle that even accused persons retain basic rights. Clearly, Panjab government has violated the SCI orders. Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) criticized the bulldozer actions as a worrying trend bypassing democratic norms, urging the govt. to adopt proper legal processes. While officials tout these measures as necessary to curb trafficking, critics argue that blanket demolitions risk punishing entire families and infringing on constitutional safeguards. Meanwhile, border police stations in Amritsar and Gurdaspur, having faced grenade attacks in 2024, have installed barbed wire, corrugated metal sheets, and ‘bunker tractors,’ shutting roads at night to thwart suspected ‘militants’. At least 12 grenades have been lobbed at police facilities since December 2024 allegedly by operatives from outfits like Babbar Khalsa International, prompting heightened security.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal has dismissed claims that Panjab farmers are responsible for Delhi’s pollution, calling it ‘ridiculous’ to suggest stubble burning travels 500 km through high-rises and lands solely in the capital. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa concurred, noting local vehicle emissions and construction contribute heavily to city smog. Goyal’s stance may help ease tensions with Panjab’s farming community, which has long borne the blame for Delhi’s haze. In the past, Panjab has repeatedly been blamed for Delhi’s pollution over the years, despite studies proving there to be little link between stubble burning affecting Delhi, with the major cause of pollution coming from vehicles and thermal plants. The timing of the statement by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders is important because the union government is due to meet Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) on 19 Mar to discuss Minimum Support Price and other farmer demands. However, questions remain on ‘red entries’ which are notations made in farmer land documents that they have been caught engaging in stubble burning which results in restrictions on accessing govt. benefits or selling their crops in the market, often used as a punitive measure to deter such practices. Meanwhile, Panjab faces major agricultural challenges, notably the steep decline in cotton cultivation since 2021–22, hitting just 95K hectares in 2024—down from 252K hectares in 2021. State Agriculture Director Jaswant Singh aims to boost acreage to 150K hectares by 2025–26, promising subsidies for seeds and improvements in canal irrigation. Some farmers have switched to water-intensive rice due to pest attacks and rising costs. Farmers have also turned to spring maize after harvesting potatoes, though black market prices are hovering around USD 40 instead of USD 29 for four kilograms of seeds.

On 2 Mar, Jathedar (leader) Akal Takht (Eternal Throne, AT) Giani Raghbir Singh has rejected the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) membership drive. He instructed the remaining five members of the seven-member committee to begin fresh enrolment for the SAD. Earlier Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami had resigned from his post and the chairmanship of the committee. Later former SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar had also resigned from the committee. Giani Raghbir Singh said he would soon convene a meeting to appoint a coordinator from the remaining five members. The ongoing controversy over questioning of authority of the AT Jathedar by the SGPC has intensified following the resurfacing of a 1999 resolution. The resolution was passed by the SGPC’s Dharam Parchar (religious preaching) Committee on 20 Feb 1999 which states, ‘Akal Takht Sahib is the supreme institution of Sikhs and cannot be confined to the management of Gurdwaras under the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925. The jurisdiction of Takhts (seats) is worldwide, whereas the SGPC’s authority, as per the Act, is limited. Therefore, Guru Khalsa Panth should recognise Takht Sahib as free from the 1925 Act.’ It further says, only the Sarbat Khalsa (Sikh Plenary) holds the right to suspend a Jathedar. As the resolution went viral on social media, it sparked heated debates within the Sikh community. SGPC chief secretary Kulwant Singh Manan confirmed its authenticity but clarified that it was rejected by the SGPC’s General House on 30 Mar 1999. Since this resolution exceeded the jurisdiction of the Dharam Parchar Committee, it was dismissed under the presidency of Bibi Jagir Kaur. Meanwhile, frustrated by the delay in the full implementation of the AT directives, a coalition of Sikh groups has called upon AT Jathedar to summon former SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and others and excommunicate them from the Sikh community.

During the Panjab Vidhan Sabha (State Legislative Assembly) session, Panjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains revealed that the state government owes the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) about USD 50.6M, partly from building rents, book publication costs, and sports funds. Some dues have been cleared, including USD 10.5M in 2022–23, USD 22.2M in 2023–24, and USD 11.4M in 2024–25, though Bains stressed that pending payments must be expedited to improve PSEB’s finances. In 2024, the BJP-led union govt. withheld funds from Panjab for Prime Minister's Schools for Rising India schools upgrade programme as the AAP govt. had opted out of the programme. After the union govt. withheld funds, the state govt. agreed to participate in the programme and funds were released. Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed private unaided schools in Panjab to reserve 25% of Class 1 seats for children from weaker sections. The court was responding to a petition challenging the state’s rule that initially required Economically Weaker Section students to seek seats in govt. schools, holding that such restrictions conflict with the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. In Chandigarh, the Administrator and Panjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria distributed appointment letters to 40 newly recruited special educators marking the first regular appointments of their kind since 2019. The ceremony, part of Samavesh Utsav (Inclusive Festival), showcased efforts to promote inclusive education, with Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India providing aid to 75 students and awarding special athletes. Separately, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has contributed USD 15.3K toward school and college fees for underprivileged Sikligar and Vanjara Sikh children in Raipur and other parts of Chhattisgarh. Representatives led by Bhai Rajinder Singh Mehta visited multiple schools to verify records and hand over fees, reinforcing the committee’s commitment to helping these children become self-reliant through quality learning.

Indian businessman Ankit Srivastava and his family-run Srivastava Group stand accused by Canadian authorities of covert interference, allegedly fabricating pro-India news sites targeting Canada’s public discourse. Canadian Court filings indicate that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service believes Srivastava was tasked by Indian intelligence to influence Canadian politicians via funding and propaganda. Srivastava denied wrongdoing, pointing to journalistic activities with the India-based English newspaper New Delhi Times. His immigration applications have twice been returned for reassessment, with federal judges finding insufficient evidence linking him to a sibling’s firm, which was described as ‘selling information warfare tools that can be used to disrupt critical infrastructure and steal government and military secrets.’ Canadian immigration authorities deemed Srivastava a security risk. Meanwhile, Ottawa’s latest immigration regulations, which took effect on 31 Jan, grant border officials broader authority to cancel visas such as Electronic Travel Authorization, Temporary Resident Visa, work permits, and study permits. These rules can affect thousands of Indians, including Panjabis, who study or work in Canada. Indian applicants face uncertainty because a rejected or revoked permit can result in immediate loss of residency status, financial hardship, or enforced departure. The policy change follows Canada’s discontinuation of the Student Direct Stream in late 2024. Tighter rules have led to plummeting demand for language coaching and visa consultancy in Panjab where numerous International English Language Testing System (IELTS) institutes and immigration businesses have either scaled down or closed down. Owners report losing up to 60% of their clientele. 'At one time, we thought we had opened an IELTS institute, and our careers were settled for life, but one stroke of the Canadian visa issue and the bleak scenario being painted by various govts. like the US, and all has come down crashing like a pack of cards,' said an institute owner in Shastri Nagar, Ludhiana.

In the West-Panjab, US-based scholar Dr Tarunjit Singh Butalia is working with the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) to document Lahore Fort’s Sikh-era heritage and produce a guide book. He has identified about 100 monuments dating from the Sikh Empire (1799–1849), though around 30 have vanished. The fort served as the power base for Sikh rulers from Maharaja Ranjit Singh to Maharaja Sher Singh until the British took over in 1849. Butalia’s interest arises partly from family connections within the Sikh court. He discovered multiple maps and sketches dating to 1825, indicating the fort was sometimes known as Qila Mubarak (Celebration Fort). Noting that local guides portrayed the Sikh era negatively, Butalia aims to present a balanced historical account. The guide book will map known monuments, list their names, and propose a tour route beginning and ending at the Bastion Café. WCLA officials plan to train their tour guides on this new perspective, preserving a crucial piece of Sikh heritage. In Kallar Syedan, near Islamabad, lies the crumbling Khem Singh Bedi Mahal, built in 1860. Once part of a government boys’ high school, this three-story palace’s arched verandas, vibrant frescoes, and grand courtyard are deteriorating from neglect. Its wooden roof has collapsed and exquisite artwork is fading due to minimal upkeep. The palace once boasted stables and a guesthouse, both of which have now vanished. Its original owner, Baba Khem Singh Bedi, was a prominent Sikh figure associated with the British. Locals lament that classwork has shifted to newer blocks since 1989, leaving the heritage building abandoned. Many locals now urge authorities to restore its decaying splendor. In East Panjab, the restoration of the historic Jahaz Haveli (Ship Mansion) began on 23 Feb in Fatehgarh Sahib with Panjab Member of Legislative Assembly Tarunpreet Singh Sond inaugurating the work. Diwan Todar Mall Virasti Foundation leads the effort.

In Panjab’s Ludhiana Central Jail, a creative program known as Voice Behind Bars is offering inmates a path to redemption via music. Led by the Welba Foundation (Welcome Back Foundation), the initiative launched two songs on YouTube by Mohit Arora, a 22-year-old detainee awaiting trial for smuggling pills. Titled Sorry Mummy Ji (Sorry Mother) and Likhna na Chhadi (Don’t Stop Writing), these heartfelt pieces are copyrighted under his name, ensuring any revenue benefits his family. Sound engineer Saransh Bhutani spent months training participants, with officials noting drops in aggression and rises in self-esteem. Ten inmates now form a music group, with more songs forthcoming. Welba Foundation director Dr Parikshit Bansal asserts that stigma often traps ex-offenders in cycles of crime, making supportive platforms crucial. Jail superintendent Shivraj Singh Nandgarh praised this venture, citing music as a powerful tool for transformation. He stressed that positive, skill-building programs can lower recidivism rates and help inmates avoid crime upon release. Meanwhile, sociologist Paramjit Singh Judge’s new book, Culture and Popular Music in Punjab, examines how Panjabi music transcends simple entertainment, tapping into deeper cultural narratives. Noting global stars like Diljit Dosanjh, AP Dhillon, and Karan Aujla, Judge considers the interplay of violence, heroism, and diaspora identity. Some songs glorify gangsterism, occasionally inciting threats, or pouring out heartbreak through romantic verses. Yet the music also speaks to alienation and resilience. Judge argues that three motifs—Saint, Warrior, and Lover—define the rebellious Panjabi spirit. This includes the legacy of Sidhu Moosewala, whose music addressed subaltern pride but also courted threats. Judge cites Gurdas Maan’s diplomatic misstep—calling Hindi language his masi (aunt)—to illustrate how cultural sensitivities run high. Drawing on extensive research, the book delves into the tradition of Dhadis (balladeers), Mirasis (folk singers), and evolving lyrical forms that link past folklore with present-day star power.