SAD, AAP & BJP to Flex Muscle on 'Maghi Mela'

The Maghi Mela—a fair held in the memory of forty Sikh martyrs known as Muktas (liberated ones) in the 1705 Battle of Khidrana against the Mughals—is one of Panjab’s biggest religious events. The fair is held on 14 Jan at Sri Muktsar Sahib. One of the major features of the fair is conferences by political parties. This year, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going to hold its first political conference at the fair signalling an aggressive push to set the tone in Panjab ahead of the Assembly elections in 2027. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), buoyed by recent improvement in tally in block and district polls, and Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) are also going to hold independent conferences. Panjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will also organize a political conference at the fair, nearly a decade after it had last held it in 2016. At that time, the party was expanding its footprint in Panjab, with its national convener Arvind Kejriwal and then Sangrur Member of Parliament and the current Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann donning turbans to kickstart their 2017 Assembly election campaign. The Indian National Congress (INC) has chosen not to hold its political conference. INC leaders said the party would instead hold a rally in Muktsar after the fair, maintaining that it is adhering to the Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne) 2017 edict discouraging political conferences at fairs associated with Sikhs’ martyrdom. SAD (Punar Surjit, revival), the breakaway Akali faction, is also not conducting its conference. Another feature of the fair is the equine exhibition. The Panjab government is set to host a grand cattle and horse fair on a 70 acre site at the Industrial Focal Point, Lambi Dhab at Sri Muktsar Sahib. The fair is expected to draw a huge gathering of breeders, traders, and animal enthusiasts from across the region. Meanwhile in a Panjab cabinet reshuffle, Investment Promotion and Power minister Sanjeev Arora has also been assigned the Local Government department. Dr. Ravjot Singh who handled the department has been assigned to the Non Resident Indian department that Arora held (earlier coverage).

Responding to the summons by Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne, AT), Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said he would go barefoot to appear before the AT secretariat, on 15 Jan. Mann has also posted on X that the worldwide Sikh community wants to witness the proceedings at the secretariat. He said, ‘Keeping their sentiment in mind, I request the Jathedar (leader) to allow live transmission of my submission so it can be telecast on all television channels.’ AT Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj has rejected the request, stating that there was no precedent of live-streaming or telecasting proceedings held inside the secretariat. Such proceedings are recorded only for official purposes. While summoning Mann, Jathedar Gargajj had called him a patit (apostate). The Sehajdhari Sikh Party (SSP) has said Mann is not a patit but a Sehajdhari Sikh (a person who slowly adopts the Sikh faith), arguing that since Mann is not an initiated Sikh he has not committed a transgression by maintaining shorn hair. Meanwhile, Panjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond and Chief Khalsa Diwan president and Aam Aadmi Party Member of Legislative Assembly Inderbir Singh Nijjar appeared at the AT on 5 Jan. Sond gave his reasons as to why in a painting at Bhai Jeevan Singh Memorial, Anandpur Sahib, the tenth Sikh Sovereign Guru Gobind Singh was shown wearing shoes while initiating Bhai Jaita. Concurrently, in the case related to 328 missing Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh charter and scripture) saroop (tome), the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had said it will neither extend cooperation to the police administration nor provide any records. However, on 12 Jan, AT Jathedar Gargajj said, 'In view of the confusion being created among the sangat (Sikh community) the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami is hereby authorized to extend due cooperation to the government.’ The Jathedar said that if the government requires any information from the SGPC it can be sought at the SGPC’s Chandigarh sub-office in the presence of SGPC president. He also said that the Ishar Singh Commission report clearly names 16 accused and the SGPC has already taken departmental action against them (earlier coverage).

On 6 Jan, Delhi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Atishi (no second name) had used 'insensitive words' against the ninth Sikh Sovereign Guru Teghbahadar and demanded her apology. The issue came up during a discussion on the Delhi government's program marking the 350^th martyrdom anniversary of the Guru in November 2025. When the Speaker Vijender Gupta asked Atishi to present her comments on the program, Atishi stayed silent. After the Chief Minister Rekha Gupta spoke, and the Speaker called for the next issue to be discussed, Atishi insisted the Assembly discuss air pollution. Upon being reminded that air pollution has been marked for discussion on 7 Jan, she said, ‘Since morning you are running from the real issue. You are saying respect stray dogs (referring to BJP’s protest in favor of stray dogs).’ Atishi claimed BJP has twisted her words and inserted wrong captions on the video. She said she would rather die than insult the Guru and has posted a clip of the exchange. The apex representative body of Sikhs Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has said her remarks are ‘deeply hurtful to Sikh sentiments’. Four AAP Members of Legislative Assembly in Delhi who asked BJP to remove the social media posts until the video is forensically tested, have been suspended from the Assembly for the rest of the winter session. Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has slammed the BJP for targeting Atishi and the Panjab police has said the video is doctored. Panjab Indian National Congress MLAs Pargat Singh and Sukhpal Singh Khaira re-posted the allegations against Atishi and the police filed First Information Reports (FIR) against them along with registering an FIR against Delhi Labor Minister Kapil Mishra. The Delhi Assembly has flagged Panjab police and sent them notice for breach of privilege for testing the video clip which is a property of the house. The Shiromani Akali Dal has also protested against Atishi. By creating this commotion, the BJP has effectively placed the major current issues of Delhi—air pollution and stray dogs—on the back burner.

On 11 Jan, in Tauranga city, New Zealand (NZ), a group of protestors linked to 'Apostle Bishop' Brian Tamaki confronted the Sikh Nagar Kirtan (religious procession). Tamaki is head of the Pentecostal Christian organization the Destiny Church. The event concluded without a major untoward incident and the procession proceeded to the Gurdwara. Later, Tamaki released the video with captions: 'Whose Streets? Kiwi Streets and The True Patriots Are Not Backing Down.' The apex representative body of Sikhs Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s president Harjinder Singh Dhami has said, such an incident has occurred for the second time in three weeks in NZ and has deeply disappointed the Sikh community. He added, 'Viewing the religious traditions of the Sikh community—which has always made an exemplary contribution to strengthening global brotherhood—with a hateful mindset is unacceptable.' Meanwhile, British Columbia (BC) seeks to deepen its commercial ties with India in sectors including liquefied natural gas, critical minerals, lumber and technology, the Canadian province's Premier David Eby said on 12 Jan at the start of a six-day Indian visit. 'With unjustified tariffs from the US impacting BC workers and businesses, it’s more important than ever to deepen strategic relationships with international partners,' said Eby, adding India offered 'enormous opportunities for trade'. On 8 Jan, a group of Sikh activists protested at the BC legislature, waving Khalistan flags and urging Eby to cancel his upcoming India trip. They said that the India trip sends the wrong message, especially after the death of fellow Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023 in Surrey, who was allegedly shot by Indian hitmen. As BC pursues new markets in India, fractious relations between Canada and India over the last two years take a back seat to trade relations. A matter of concern between the two countries is that according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, approximately 1,053K work permits expired in Canada by the end of 2025 and another 927K will do so in 2026. As these work permits expire, their holders go out of status, living illegally in the country, unless they transition to another visa or obtain permanent residency (earlier coverage).

The Supreme Court of India reviewed the implementation of gender-sensitive provisions under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act). The Court, while responding to a petition seeking uniform implementation of the POSH Act, directed all High Courts to report on the establishment of Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committees (GSICCs) across High, district and sub-divisional courts, tribunals, bar associations, and allied forums within three weeks. However, a senior lawyer Sonia Mathur appearing for the petitioner noted that seven High Courts, including Punjab and Haryana and Delhi, are yet to frame regulations for committee formation, while district courts have not constituted GSICCs. She also highlighted that despite the Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling, many courts continue to lack mechanisms for women lawyers, litigants, and staff to report grievances. The petition argued that absence of such structures results in constitutional violations and discourages women from full participation in justice delivery. Meanwhile, Haryana police have registered a case against national shooting coach Ankush Bharadwaj following allegations of sexual harassment by a 17-year-old national-level shooter in Faridabad, Haryana. Bhardwaj is a national shooting coach and resides in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (SAS Nagar). He is absconding. A POCSO (Protection Of Children From Sexual Offences Act, 2012) case has been filed against him. He is also a part of the Salvo Shooting Academy and had started a venture featuring a wellness center and rehabilitation club in SAS Nagar along with his wife. The National Rifle Association of India has suspended Bharadwaj from all duties pending the inquiry. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have arrested Dashmeet Singh, a 31-year-old man from Rajpura, Panjab for allegedly cheating women by posing as a prospective groom on matrimonial websites and social media platforms. After befriending women and gaining their trust, he allegedly induced them to transfer money on various pretexts before cutting off contact. Additionally, a hospital in Amritsar is celebrating Lohri for newborn girls. The initiative aims to strengthen the message of gender equality and underline the importance of providing girls equal status, opportunities and rights in society.

The Himachal Pradesh High Court (HPHC) has observed that ‘a desire to end the hostilities between India and Pakistan, and a return to peace, cannot amount to sedition’. Taking this position, the HPHC granted bail to Abhishek Singh Bhardwaj who was accused of posting images and videos online depicting weapons and the flag of Pakistan. Justice Rakesh Kainthla looked at Abhishek's chat history with a person named Niaz Khan. In the chats, the petitioner had stated that Operation Sindoor—the brief armed conflict between India and Pakistan in May 2025—was wrong and that he supported Khalistan. Noting that both of them criticized the hostilities between India and Pakistan, the court said that they advocated that all people, irrespective of their religion, should stay together, and that war serves no fruitful purpose. The judge said, 'It is difficult to see how a desire to end the hostilities and a return to peace can amount to sedition’. In another case, the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) ruled that if Panjab was facing a financial crisis, the state could have curtailed unnecessary expenditure on announcements and wasteful schemes, instead of imposing cuts on retired employees. The assertion came as a Bench said that the circular dated 29 Jul 2003 hiking the pension commutation discount rate from 4.75% to 8%, would not apply to the petitioners who are former government employees. In yet another case seeking regularization of daily wage workers, the PHHC has directed Panjab to regularize the workers in accordance with the regularization policy that was in force when they first became eligible in 1996. The PHHC also issued notice seeking a complete overhaul of the Chandigarh Football Association for alleged non-compliance with a landmark Supreme Court of India judgment on 19 Sep 2025. The SCI judgment mandates transparency, accountability, limited tenures for office-bearers, and participation of players in sports administration. Meanwhile, on 9 Jan, the Panjab Cabinet gave its nod to a comprehensive policy under which private institutions can establish fully digital universities in the state. Panjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, 'The policy aligns with University Grants Commission Regulations, 2020, and introduces state-level standards for quality, accessibility, digital infrastructure, data governance, and learner protection' (earlier coverage).

On 12 Jan, the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) granted interim relief to Panjab activists and journalists by staying further investigation in the First Information Report registered against them over questioning the use of Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s official helicopter during his absence. PHHC remarked that Panjab is not a 'police state' and that such cases should not arise simply because of questions. The court also stated that the public has the right to question and criticize the government, which cannot be suppressed. The Panjab government lawyer argued that Manik Goyal's social media post could have affected law and order and was an attempt to incite people. However, the court advised the government lawyer to refrain from political debate and said such cases should not be viewed from a political perspective. The Panjab government has also started restricting journalists from attending press conferences. On 11 Jan, senior journalist Swarn Singh Danewalia was stopped from attending the CM’s press conference in Bathinda. In December 2025, the Panjab government cited copyright infringement to Lok Awaz TV, a YouTube channel, for using pictures of the Panjab Legislative Assembly proceedings. Those proceedings are recorded by government media and are usually free to use. Meanwhile, Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner (DC) Nishant Kumar Yadav announced that the election to the posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor for Union Territory (UT) will be held on 29 Jan. The election process will make a switch from secret voting to a show of hands. Keeping in view the change, the DC also outlined the Standard Operating Procedure to ensure transparency, accountability, and clarity in the election. Addressing the House meeting of the Municipal Corporation on 31 Dec 2025, UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria had said, 'I will certainly make efforts to change the mayor’s one-year term so that the mayor has sufficient time to work for the public. For this, if I have to meet the union Home Minister, I will do so and will try to ensure the tenure is extended' (earlier coverage).

The Panjab government is set to amalgamate its District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs)  with Punjab State Cooperative Bank (PSCB) in a move to ensure capital adequacy and reduce duplication of administrative costs. Led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, a delegation met top Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officials in Mumbai on the 6–7 Jan. Panjab government presented two proposals: one to amalgamate all 20 DCCBs with the PSCB and another to amalgamate 16 DCCBs, excluding those in Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr, and Hoshiarpur which have not passed resolutions for voluntary amalgamation. The RBI is likely to consider the proposal to amalgamate the 16 DCCBs, whose general bodies have already passed the resolutions. Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court flagged the absence of a clear policy for regularization of long-serving contractual employees under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), now replaced by the Viksit Bharat Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act (VB-G RAM G). The Bench said the workers had been left in a state of uncertainty and insecurity due to the absence of a clear policy for regularization, despite their sustained contribution, experience and commitment. Meanwhile, amid continuing factionalism among the top leadership of the Panjab Indian National Congress, the party is rolling out a mass agitation centered on rural employment. INC will launch the Save MGNREGA Struggle in Panjab from Gurdaspur on 15 Jan to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) statewide public awareness campaign on the VB-G RAM G scheme. The Panjab BJP unit launched the campaign from village Kheowali Dhaba in Fazilka district on 7 Jan to counter what it termed misinformation being spread by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the INC. Additionally, farm leaders from the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) met the Supreme Court-appointed committee to resolve farmer grievances on 9 Jan in Chandigarh. Citing rise in farmer suicides due to economic distress, farm leaders, who were present from across India, stressed the need for a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price for crops. Jagjit Singh Dallewal, convener of the SKM (non-political) said that farmers had suffered losses to the tune of over USD 51.6B due to the denial of assured price for crops (earlier coverage).

The Panjab Cabinet has approved amendments to the Punjab Minor Mineral Policy to address raw material shortages, curb illegal mining and corruption, reduce prices, boost state revenues, and prevent monopolistic practices in mining. The reforms introduce new mining categories, modernize auction mechanisms, and streamline regulatory approvals. Mines and geology minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said the shift to online auctions and legalized supply chains would protect state revenue and curb illegal mining. A key change is the introduction of Crusher Mining Sites allowing crusher owners with gravel-bearing land to obtain mining leases for their own use. This move is expected to increase the supply of crushed sand and gravel, reduce dependence on other states, lower costs, and boost employment and revenues. In sand mining, the policy introduces Landowner Mining Sites, enabling landowners to mine sand from their own land on payment of royalty. Furthermore, the government has identified over 200 new mining sites in the state with surveys, technical vetting, public consultations, and environmental impact assessment studies currently in progress. Most of these mines are expected to become operational over the next three months. The government also auctioned 29 mining sites across the state for USD 1.05M and notified major reforms to the auction framework under the newly amended Punjab Minor Mineral Rules. Nearly 100 additional sites will also be auctioned in a staggered manner in the coming months. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested climate activist Harjeet Singh, a day after the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at premises linked to him in connection with alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act. Singh has been a vocal advocate of climate justice, especially in the Global South and had attended the COP 30 event in Brazil as a part of Fossil Fuel Non-Prolifieration Committee . The Enforcement Directorate searched three premises in Delhi and Ghaziabad linked to Singh and Satat Sampada Private Limited, a climate advocacy group co-founded by him. The searches were part of a wider probe into the suspected misuse of foreign funds to ‘run narratives to influence government policies in the energy sector.’ Singh is out on bail (earlier coverage).

Balbinder Kumar, a PhD in Pahari miniature painting, from Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra has been working on the restoration of the tenth Sikh Sovereign Guru Gobind Singh’s fresco since August 2025 at the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple). An Assistant Professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at the Indian Institute of Himalayan Studies, Himachal Pradesh University, Kumar has decided to keep unshorn hair as per the Sikh code for the duration of his work. He says, ‘I decided not to cut my hair after I was assigned the sewa (service). Nobody asked me, there was no condition. It was my own decision, as the Guru guided me.’ He adds that he is using the same painting techniques and natural pigments for restoration that were used in the original works. He says, ‘The fresco secco masterpiece created during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s era has weathered centuries, its natural pigments flaking due to natural reactions’. Kumar was first contacted for the restoration of old paintings of the ninth Sikh Sovereign Guru Teghbahadar, at the historical Baba Bakala Gurdwara in 2021. He attributes his unique interest in Kangra style of painting to the Kangra King Maharaja Sansar Chandra, who is credited with patronizing the Kangra painting style. It is believed that after winning Kangra, Maharaja Ranjit Singh had found the only ‘realist’ painting depicting the tenth Sikh Guru in Chandra’s collection. However, Chandra refused to part with the painting. Upon which Maharaja Ranjit Singh hired an artist from the same family to paint a replica for the Darbar Sahib. Additionally, a wall clock offered by Lord Curzon to the Darbar Sahib 123 years ago was reinstalled at the same place after it was successfully repaired by its parent company Elkington & Co. The restoration work and transit took two years. Curzon, who was the then Viceroy and Governor General of India, first officially visited Darbar Sahib on 9 Apr 1900. The official presentation of the clock to the Darbar Sahib authorities by the Viceroy’s representative took place on 31 Oct 1902. The Sikh diaspora members have paid around USD 100K restoration cost. Elkington & Co also produces the Wimbledon trophies.