SAD Announces Tarn Taran By-poll Candidate

When Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Sanjeev Arora won the Ludhiana West by-poll on 23 Jun, the party's Panjab in-charge Manish Sisodia said, 'If this was a semifinal, we are ready to make the final (2027 Panjab Legislative Assembly election) a superhit success.' However, on 27 Jun, AAP sitting Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Tarn Taran, Dr. Kashmir Singh Sohal died from cancer. Now, there will be another semi-final—a by-poll in Tarn Taran within the next six months. On 15 Jul, three-time Tarn Taran MLA and former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harmeet Singh Sandhu joined AAP. Sandhu had won from Tarn Taran as an independent in 2002, and as a SAD candidate in 2007 and 2012. Meanwhile, on 20 Jul, SAD held a massive rally and show of strength at Chabal village in Tarn Taran. At the rally, Azad (Free) Group—which came to prominence during Municipal Elections in March 2025 by winning 8 out of the 25 wards—merged with SAD. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal announced the Azad Group chief Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa as the SAD candidate from Tarn Taran. Badal appealed to Panjabis to unite under the Akali flag to counter 'outside forces' who wanted to loot the state. 'These forces were behind the 2015 acts of sacrilege which were committed with the sole aim of weakening SAD.' Badal also targeted Indian National Congress’ (INC) leaders Pargat Singh and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa. In the recent debate in Panjab Assembly over the new Anti-Sacrilege Bill, Pargat said during the INC rule (2017-2022), ‘There was a group (that wanted to solve the sacrilege cases), and there was another group who wanted status quo on the cases so they linger on.’ In another incident, during a discussion on sacrilege, Randhawa said, ‘I used to attend the Special Investigation Team meetings. But they were not serious about solving the cases.’ Badal demanded both leaders reveal names of leaders who played politics on sacrilege. On 19 Jul, Randhawa said Badal has no moral authority to raise questions on the Bargari sacrilege incident after accepting 'guilt before Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne) (earlier coverage).

On 19 Jul, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Legislative Assembly from Kharar, singer-turned-politician Anmol Gagan Kaur Maan resigned as a member of the Panjab Assembly. ‘My heart is heavy, but I have decided to leave politics,’ she wrote on social media. When AAP was campaigning for the 2022 Assembly election, Mann became famous for saying, ‘We will provide Minimum Support Price (a continuing point of contention by Panjab farmers) on all crops within 5 minutes of forming the government.’ On the same day, real estate baron Ranjit Singh Gill from Kharar and a close aide of Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, resigned from the primary membership of the party. There was speculation that AAP is luring the moneybag and rewarding him with the Kharar seat. However, AAP rejected Mann’s resignation. Mann withdrew her resignation. Earlier, on 16 Jul, Panjab Assembly Leader of Opposition (LoP) from Indian National Congress, Partap Singh Bajwa sought the removal of unauthorized people from the Legislative Assembly complex, saying these people were tinkering with Assembly proceedings. Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said since the formation of the govt, proceedings had been broadcast live and the Department of Public Relations (DPR) took care of it. Bajwa replied that he did not have any issues with DPR, but over the presence of AAP social media in-charge in the Assembly. 'Aniket Saxena was sitting there. These people who are not employees of the Assembly cannot be allowed to sit inside.' Meanwhile, to counter the menace of child beggars and trafficking in Panjab, the govt has ordered DNA tests on children involved in begging along with the adults accompanying them to ascertain if they are their biological parents. ‘If the DNA test confirms that the adult is not related to the child, strict legal action will be taken, including potential imprisonment,’ said minister Dr. Baljit Kaur (earlier coverage).

Marking its 11^th foundation day, the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) announced it will begin printing of Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh scripture, GGS) and Gutka Sahib (abridged version of scripture) at a dedicated facility in Ambala. 'We had requested 500 copies each from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee due to rising demand in Haryana, but received no response,' said HSGMC president Jagdish Singh Jhinda at a commemorative event held at Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi, Kurukshetra. While earlier the GGS was being printed by a private entity Jeewan Singh Chattar Singh & Sons, since 2006, Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne) mandated that only SGPC can print the GGS. The HSGMC decision could create a new tussle between the institutions. Meanwhile, the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) received three more email threats taking the total count to five. The emails were traced to 24-year-old software engineer, Shubham Dubey, from Faridabad in Haryana. However, no mainstream media named the person in their headlines or called this a terrorist activity. This is unlike how the media treats people from minority communities, including Sikhs. Amritsar Indian National Congress Member of Parliament Gurjeet Singh Aujla demanded that union and state governments jointly increase security at Darbar Sahib. However, Darbar Sahib head granthi (hymns reciter) and former Akal Takht jathedar (leader) Giani Raghbir Singh said, 'Staff of the SGPC is efficient enough to ensure security inside Sri Darbar Sahib. Outside it, the administration should perform its duty to provide security to the devotees.' SGPC member and former general secretary Bibi Kiranjot Kaur said, 'After Operation Blue Star, Sikhs were allowed to enter the Darbar Sahib only after being thoroughly checked. Are political parties trying to create that same atmosphere again? Let the Gurdwara remain a Gurdwara—keep your politics out of it' (earlier coverage).

The Indian National Green Tribunal (NGT), New Delhi had listed 14 cases and clubbed them together for final judgement on 22 Jul. All these cases were related to Buddha Nullah/Dariya (Old Drain/River) in Ludhiana. The critical one was Punjab Pollution Control Board’s (PPCB) non-compliance with NGT’s clarification on an earlier judgement on 9 December 2024 that all three Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) must stop pouring dyeing and electroplating industrial waste into the Nullah. The hearing was also supposed to address the issue of 54 scattered dyeing units allegedly discharging effluents directly into the sewer system connected to Buddha Nullah. Meanwhile, on 21 July, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change also issued show-cause notices to the CETPs operating without valid consent from the PPCB. However, in the NGT hearing, the Panjab government pleaded that they have a new PPCB chief, the recently appointed Reena Gupta, a new Industries minister Sanjeev Arora, and have recently constituted a High Level Committee to look into the matter, so they need two months to implement the NGT’s orders. On 16 Jul, the Panjab Science, Technology and Environment Department, had constituted a 12-member high-level committee to develop a comprehensive and long-term action plan for the cleaning and rejuvenation of the Buddha Dariya. A senior official, not wanting to be named, said, 'Neither the state govt nor the PPCB took the orders of the NGT seriously. Now, when the final hearing date is approaching, a high-level committee has been formed.' The petitioner, Public Action Committee (PAC), had filed three execution applications-cum-contempt petitions against the CETPs for non-compliance with the NGT’s order. The Tribunal has granted the time sought and issued notices to the PPCB and the CETPs based on PAC’s contempt cases. The contempt charges could lead to penalties of up to USD 1.1M or imprisonment up to three years or both for willful disobedience of Tribunal orders. PAC rejected a suggestion by a lawyer for informal talks with industry and has announced they will decide on the next course of action which will involve the public (earlier coverage).

Greater Mohali Area Development Authority’s (GMADA) plans to acquire 2,600 acres under the new land pooling policy in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (SAS Nagar) for residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional development is facing stiff opposition with only 15 out of over 8K landowners consenting to participate. Concurrently, the Punjab Directorate of Town and Country Planning has initiated the process for reclassifying several agricultural zones in SAS Nagar into residential zones, setting the stage for a surge in land prices. Villages located along the Landran-Banur Road, are expected to be reclassified from agricultural to residential zones. The Panjab government says the move comes in response to persistent demands from the panchayats (village council) and residents of these areas but the fact is this is being done to further the acquisition of land under the new Land Pooling Act. Meanwhile, in a major political challenge to Panjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), all opposition parties in the state have extended their support to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM)-led protest against the land pooling policy. After a gap of five years the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the SKM have decided to bury their differences that had emerged after the three farm laws were introduced in 2020 which then led to a year-long farmers’ struggle. Now, the BJP will be part of this SKM-led protest that will begin with a tractor rally on 30 Jul in all villages across the state where collectively about 65.5K acres of land is to be acquired under 'voluntary' land pooling. Separately, a BJP delegation including state party president Sunil Jakhar and BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh met Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, seeking his intervention to ensure the rollback of the state govt’s land pooling policy. To counter opposition, AAP ministers used a common toolkit to tweet that Panjab farmers have accepted its policy and are willing to let their lands be acquired. AAP has even enrolled an unknown newspaper to publish the news. It is ironic that the propaganda over a tangible reality—land—is being fought over social media (earlier coverage).

The US Drug Enforcement Administration has arrested Opinder Singh Sian, a 37-year-old Canadian gangster and drug smuggler in Nevada for running a transnational drug operation along with a notorious Irish gang Kinahan Cartel. US court documents reveal Sian was supported by Turkish and American criminal organizations, and was involved in a conspiracy to import 'precursor chemicals from China and export narcotics through the port of Los Angeles to Australia.’ In another incident, eight men of Panjab origin were arrested in San Joaquin County, California as part of a crackdown on gang violence by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to San Joaquin County Sheriff Pat Withrow, the investigation began 21 Jun after community tips informed them about a crime that took place on 19 Jun in Manteca. The victim said the men kidnapped him, stripped him naked, and bound and tortured him for hours. Among those arrested is Pavittar Singh alias Chaura, allegedly the leader of the Pavittar Maj(h)a Group (sic) which has links to various international criminal organizations. Those arrested are part of an extortion racket that stretches from California to murder plots in India. Each person was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on multiple charges, including kidnapping, torture, false imprisonment, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and making criminal threats. Meanwhile, in Canada, on 15 Jul, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the province’s Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis called for the Lawrence Bishnoi gang to be labelled a ‘terrorist organization’. Smith said, 'The Lawrence Bishnoi Gang is a transnational criminal network responsible for violence, extortion, drug trafficking and targeted killings, including here in Canada. Its reach is global, and its intent is criminal and violent.' They added labelling the gang as terrorists 'will allow provincial law enforcement agencies to access necessary resources needed to effectively disrupt operations and protect our people.' Concurrently, in Singapore, a 22-year-old Indian student Legha Pawan has been sentenced to 35 months in prison for pushing Jasbir Singh, a 33-year-old construction worker, on the night of 30 June 2024 (earlier coverage).

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is an apex resource organization set up by the Government of India to assist and advise the central and state govts on academic matters related to school education. On 18 Jul, NCERT introduced new Class 8 Social Science textbooks: Exploring Society: India and Beyond and Reshaping India’s Political Map. The textbooks span the history of India from the 13-17^th centuries. They cover the Delhi Sultanate, the Vijayanagara Empire, the Mughal era, and the emergence of Sikh power. Among the new additions are references to political instability, military campaigns, destruction of educational and religious institutions, and acts of religious intolerance—topics that were either absent or briefly mentioned in previous editions. The textbooks also skip Tipu Sultan, Hider Ali, and the Anglo-Mysore Wars. Mohammad Suleman, a founding member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, criticized the revisions. He said, 'Those in power, regardless of ideology, are distorting history.' Jagdip Singh Kahlon, General Secretary of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, endorsed the NCERT’s revisions. He said the updated content reflects the historical realities of the Mughal period, particularly the atrocities committed against Sikh Gurus (Sovereigns) and followers. He said, ‘This is a necessary and just decision. The Mughals committed grave atrocities.’ He added successive govts, including during British rule and under the Indian National Congress, whitewashed the Mughal legacy and glorified rulers who, according to him, were responsible for widespread religious persecution. Meanwhile, in Panjab, 31 specialist doctors who pursued post-graduation under the govt quota abruptly resigned without completing the mandatory service period or depositing the stipulated bond amount of USD 58K. Their departure comes at a time when the state is already grappling with an acute shortage of specialist doctors in its public health institutions. The Panjab govt has decided to recruit 100 retired medical specialists through walk-in interviews. The move, however, has sparked criticism from young doctors, who have been waiting for regular appointments since 2022 (earlier coverage).

Several farmers in Muktsar district have alleged that they were deceived by the misleading sale of a product named 'Super' fertilizer marketed by a private company through some cooperative societies. According to farmers, they were led to believe that the product was a high-grade fertilizer Single Super Phosphate (SSP) based on its name and packaging. Officials of the Agriculture Department have clarified that the product is not SSP, but merely calcium sulphate, which is chemically identical to ordinary gypsum and is ordinarily used as a soil conditioner. While a standard 50-kg bag of gypsum is priced around USD 2.37, the 'Super' product was sold for a much higher price of USD 8.78 per bag. Panjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said his dept was unable to take action regarding the inflated pricing, as the product was being distributed through cooperative societies, which are considered end consumers and fall outside the purview of regulatory action by his dept. Meanwhile, with the harvesting of green gram and spring maize at its peak in Panjab, farmers are using a toxic herbicide Paraquat Dichloride to quickly dry the produce. Paraquat is a highly toxic compound that can cause serious health hazards. Both green gram and spring maize are also selling below the Minimum Support Price (MSP). While green gram MSP is USD 100 per quintal it is fetching between USD 81-86 per quintal. Green gram MSP is USD 26 per quintal, it is fetching USD 19-23 per quintal. Concurrently, after receiving consent from the Panjab government, the national Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee has allowed field trials of two kinds of Genetically Modified (GM) maize at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). The trials will study weed-control efficacy in herbicide-tolerant maize hybrids with the application of Glyphosate-K salt, and the efficacy of insect-protected maize hybrids against targeted pests. While activists have raised the alarm against the move, on 18 Jul, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), the farmer’s wing of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), demanded cancellation of the permission granted to the tests. A delegation headed by BKS Panjab chief Ravinder Singh Dhillon submitted a memorandum to Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice Chancellor, PAU.

On 20 Jul, in his meeting with Indian Union Food Minister Prahlad Joshi, Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann emphasised the need to create space for an anticipated additional 12 million metric tonnes (MMT) of rice in the upcoming monsoon marketing season. To achieve this, Panjab has sought a consistent monthly movement of 1-2 MMT rice to ensure approximately 4 MMT of available storage by Dec. This issue is urgent given Panjab's decision to advance paddy cultivation this season by 15 days. The state government has also urged the union govt to bring forward the paddy procurement schedule accordingly—from the regular 15 Sep. Panjab's advanced paddy sowing also affected chilli rowers who faced labor shortage and poor sales to Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. Despite remarkable growth in chilli cultivation in Ferozepur, from 736 hectares in 2014-15 to 2,732 hectares in 2024-25, faced with low prices and scarce buyers, many farmers prematurely ploughed back their chilli crops and proceeded with paddy sowing. Prices fell from USD 2.08 per kg in 2023 to USD 1.5 in 2024 to USD 0.81 in 2025. Meanwhile, in Pedni Kalan village, district Sangrur, 41-year-old Sukhdeep Singh has carved out a vibrant niche with marigolds. Over the past decade, he has transformed his four acres into a floriculture hub. His marigold calendar is finely tuned for festivals like Dussehra, Diwali, Lohri, and the wedding season demand (January to April). He earns about USD 7K per acre. Another farmer, 50-year-old Karamjeet Singh of Chano village, district Fatehgarh Sahib experimented with pomegranate trees which yielded him good money. The farmer has increased the area under the fruit to two acres and plans to double the area. He is now earning between USD 6-13K per acre annually, depending on the crop yield. Karamjeet manages his family’s agricultural and transport business. He said, 'We frequently travel to Maharashtra as part of our transport business. I noticed that pomegranate is one of the major crops there and farmers were making good money. It gave us the idea to experiment on our own land in 2020' (earlier coverage).

While Panjab has a long history of appreciation of Hindustani classical music, the art of dance has often been limited to exuberant folk forms. Like many boys in Panjab, Taranjot Singh grew up with bhangra (Panjabi folk dance) and Panjabi music. When he was 13 years old and a student at Kala Nikhar, a dance academy in Ludhiana, he saw one of his teachers, Pulkit Jain, performing Kathak while donning heavy ghungroos (belled anklets). 'The speed, the spins, the variation in spins, the difficult footwork—I thought it was all beautiful. And that I could do it all too,' says Singh. Jain, a student of legendary Kathak dancer Pandit Rajendra Gangani, is a noted name from the Jaipur gharana (music school), which is associated with powerful footwork and rhythmic virtuosity. 'After Pulkit Sir encouraged me, I decided to give Kathak a shot…Whatever I am today, it’s because of Kathak,' says Singh who went on to win many local youth festivals and competitions before his television stint in 2024. On Dance Deewane, a dance reality show where he reached the grand finale, he left judge actress Madhuri Dixit impressed. 'I have never seen a sardarji (Sikh) do Kathak,' she told him on the show, while the other judge, actor Suniel Shetty, said Singh’s 'warrior-like' poise left him dazzled. But Singh’s journey has been of tenacity as well, starting with addressing familial and community concerns about tying ghungroos on his feet—a sacred element in Kathak—while donning his turban and keeping his beard unshorn, both integral to Sikhi. People around him, he says, were often unkind. 'They often told my parents, what are you making your son do? You will be left disgraced. This created doubts in my mind too, but I loved Kathak too much to let it go. I turned that negativity into motivation and worked harder. This was the only way I could express myself…Initially, I wanted to prove them wrong, but the more I learned, I realized it was about sadhna (practice).’