Trump Imposes Reciprocal Tariff; Panjab Basmati Farmers Hit

On 2 Apr, US President Donald Trump imposed Reciprocal Tariffs on over 180 countries. Explaining the rationale behind the tariff hike, President Trump said, ‘For far too long, other countries have looted and plundered us, while taking advantage of our policies. But no longer. April 2^nd will forever be known as Liberation Day.’ The US has imposed a 10% tariff across most countries ‘due to security concerts that have arisen due to persistent trade deficits’. Canada, Mexico, Russia, Cuba, Russia and other countries have been left out of these new tariffs because they face earlier tariffs or blockades. Countries on whom high tariffs have been imposed are: Cambodia, 49%; Vietnam, 46%; Sri Lanka, 44%; Bangladesh, 37%; and Thailand, 36%. China has been slapped with a 34% tariff along with an already 20% earlier tariff, taking the total to 54%. Describing tariffs by India as 'very tough', President Trump said, 'Their Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) just left (US recently)...he is a great friend of mine, but I said to him that 'you're a friend of mine, but you've not been treating us right'. India charges us 52%, so we will charge them half of that, 26%.' It must be noted here that tariffs on different sectors vary and 26% is a weighted average. Among the Indian sectors on which new tariffs are levied are: telecom and networking equipment, gems and jewellery, automobiles and textiles. On the eve of Liberation Day, the White House said, ‘India charges 100% tariff on agricultural products.’ How the new tariffs affect India’s agricultural sector are yet to be seen, but Panjab’s Basmati sector which has 50% share in exports will face a cascading effect on both exporters and farmers. In general, the pharmaceutical sector has been exempt from the new tariff. India has not yet responded. Since the reciprocal tariff rates were announced, USD 10T has been wiped off major markets, including India’s (earlier coverage).

Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, a conservative lawyer and longtime US President Donald Trump loyalist, has been confirmed by the Republican-majority US Senate in a 52-45 vote to lead the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. Dhillon’s appointment follows her nomination earlier in 2025, when Trump lauded her record of suing tech giants over alleged free speech violations and opposing diversity programs. Dhillon, who previously served on the board of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California, also founded the Center for American Liberty and helped challenge the 2020 election results. Civil rights advocates, including the ACLU and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, have expressed alarm over Dhillon’s history of challenging LGBTQ+ rights, her active role in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and her criticisms of federal voting protections. The Sikh Coalition, which previously collaborated with Dhillon on workplace discrimination cases, declared that questions remain about her commitment to voting rights enforcement and her stance on critical civil rights issues such as hate crimes, transgender protections, and the autonomy of minority faith communities. The Sikh Coalition’s submission to the Senate Judiciary Committee highlights concerns about Dhillon’s support for election fraud allegations, her endorsement of banning some equity initiatives, and her Center for American Liberty’s lawsuits against gender-affirming care. Meanwhile, in Virginia, delegate JJ Singh successfully guided a measure to protect houses of worship in the state, specifically targeting hate crimes and security preparedness. Under this law, which takes effect 1 Jul, religious institutions will be offered best practices for safeguarding their sanctuaries, reinforcing their ability to hold services without fear of violence or intimidation. Sikh advocates in Virginia welcomed this development as an example of proactive measures that uphold the rights of minority communities (earlier coverage).

The Indian Parliament has passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The Bill passed in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) and the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) 288-232 and 128-95, respectively. The Opposition believes the Waqf (Amendment) Bill—like the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act—is anti-Muslim and a precursor to other anti-minorities bills such as the Uniform Civil Code. Waqf is the donation made by Muslims for charitable and religious purposes. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill points at irregularities in the current system such as historic endowments lack legal proof and are not well surveyed, allow for private properties to be encroached as Waqf, Waqf Boards often contravene laws and declare properties Waqf, women’s rights to property are denied, and aims to regulate the endowments. The Bill does away with the category ‘waqf by user’ which means a property becomes Waqf through long-term use, allows non-Muslims to join Waqf boards and tribunals, and proposes a centralized registration system. During discussion on the Bill, referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiromani Akal Dal’s Member of Parliament Harsimrat Kaur Badal said, ‘A party whose entire politics is dependent upon polarization between Hindus and Muslims; whose entire politics is around Pakistan, Musalman and Khalistan; from where they got so much concern for Muslims, their women, their properties?' Panjab Leader of Opposition and senior Indian National Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa said, 'Today, it is the Waqf Act; tomorrow, it will be the SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee), followed by Christian institutions. The Modi government’s agenda is clear: to dismantle the autonomy of religious bodies and impose a majoritarian will.' The SGPC president, Harjinder Singh Dhami said it appears the government’s intent is to curtail minority rights and administer matters according to its own agenda. In Panjab, 38% of 37K acres of Waqf land is under litigation in various courts (earlier coverage).

Late night on 7 Apr, two men hurled a grenade at the Jalandhar home of former Panjab cabinet minister and Bharatiya Janata Party national executive member Manoranjan Kalia. Kalia and family are unhurt. Police have caught two suspects and claim one of them is from Pakistan. On 4 Apr, a 22-year-old student Aditya Thakur was stabbed and killed at Panjab University, Chandigarh during a musical event on campus. Meanwhile, encounters with alleged criminals have surged in Panjab. 41 police encounters have been recorded between 1 Jan and 31 Mar, compared to 64 in all of 2024. In Bathinda, on 3 Apr, Instagram star, police constable Amandeep Kaur was dismissed after her arrest for possession of 17.71 grams of heroin. A recording of her sex-for-cash phone call has surfaced on social media. Indian National Congress Minister of Legislative Assembly Sukhpal Singh Khaira alleged the other person on the call is Indian Police Service officer Swapan Sharma who has been recently appointed Ludhiana police chief in view of the upcoming West Ludhiana by-poll. Meanwhile, the loot of farmers' possessions and trolleys after their 19 Mar eviction from Panjab-Haryana interstate borders Shambhu and Khanauri now points towards authorities. Farmers accuse Aam Aadmi Party Member of the Legislative Assembly Gurlal Singh Ghanaur of orchestrating the theft, though he has denied involvement. Police have registered a complaint against their own constable Virinder Singh and his uncle for stealing a trolley from Khanauri. A students union, the Secular Youth Federation of India alleged their patron Pushpinder Singh Tau was being targeted by law enforcement for his support to the farmers’ protest. Separately, police in Patiala preempted a meeting of farmer unions Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha at Gurdwara Nathana Sahib. The meeting was to thank people of the Puadh region (south east Panjab) for their cooperation during the 13-month Farmers Protest 2.0 (earlier coverage).

On 4 Apr, in the case against Indian National Congress leader Jagdish Tytler related to the killing of Sikhs during the 1984 Sikh genocide, a Delhi court heard testimony from former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Manjit Singh GK. GK brought up the fact that he had received a pen drive containing Tytler’s confession on the murders of Thakur Singh, Badal Singh, and Gurcharan Singh at Pul Bangash Gurdwara. GK stated that Surinder Singh Granthi, now deceased, had given him the pen drive. The pen drive has been submitted to the investigating agency for verification. Separately, Scottish Sikh Jagtar Singh Johal, detained in Panjab since 2017 on terror charges linked to targeted killings, was recently moved into solitary confinement after his acquittal in one of nine criminal cases. Johal’s family voiced concern about harsh prison conditions and criticized the British government for not pressing for his immediate release. Meanwhile, the Delhi state Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sarchand Singh Khiala wrote to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta seeking Sikh prisoner Professor Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar’s freedom before (Inauguration of the Khalsa), citing his 29-year incarceration. On 3 Apr, in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament), Aam Aadmi Party Member of Parliament Malvinder Singh Kang reminded the union government of a 2019 announcement promising the release of those who have served 25-30 years in prison and raised the Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners) issue. This is ironic because on 7 Jan the Panjab AAP govt. had dispersed the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha (Community Justice Front) members who were taking out a rally marking two years of the protest seeking release of Bandi Singhs. Meanwhile, over 400 Gurdwaras and Sikh groups delivered a letter to UK Labour leader and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, urging him to fulfil a 2022 pledge to investigate British involvement in the 1984 Indian Army attack on Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) (earlier coverage).

The Panjab Cabinet on 3 Apr updated the state’s Minor Mineral Policy to allow private landowners and panchayats (village councils) to mine sand and gravel. The government raised royalties to INR 1.75 per cubic foot for sand and INR 3.15 for gravel. Mining Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said this revised scheme will expand raw material supply, lower consumer costs, and reduce illegal mining. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced new categories of mining—crusher mining and landowner mining—and announced that Deputy Commissioners could now issue No Objection Certificates for relevant sites. The Cabinet also introduced the Mukhya Mantri Teerth Yatra (Pilgrimage) Scheme for residents aged fifty-plus. Separately, Union Environment minister Bhupender Yadav told the Indian Parliament that from 1 Apr 2014 to 31 Mar 2024, Chandigarh diverted 40 hectares of forest land for non-forestry purposes by allocating it to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research buildings. Additionally, Yadav said these projects obtained environmental clearances under the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006, following the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. On the positive side, a Forest Survey of India report indicated a 9% jump in Chandigarh’s forest cover over seven years, aided by local reforestation schemes. Meanwhile, industrialists in Ludhiana criticized the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission’s new tariffs, raising night-hour energy charges from INR 5.31 to INR 5.50 per kVAh. Rajnish Ahuja of the Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry says the costlier power will hurt competitiveness, while others propose curbing distribution losses to slash expenses. Also, starting 1 Apr, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has raised toll fees by INR 5 to INR 15 at 50-plus toll plazas in Panjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. NHAI project director Aashim Bansal said the hike aligns with Wholesale Price Index-linked inflation under existing fee regulations.

In Panjab, the Education Department’s directive limiting admissions of certain students in Classes VI, IX, and XI at 118 Schools of Eminence (SOE) has caused controversy, with the Democratic Teacher Front (DTF) calling it discriminatory. The SOE model features two student categories: those passing an entrance test, enjoying special programs and facilities, and non-entrance students who do not receive those benefits. On 24 Mar, the Director of School Education (Secondary) Paramjit Singh asked District Education Officers to reduce the latter group’s intake. Panjab Education Minister Harjot Bains said SOEs cater to entrance-qualifiers. Bains has also come under fire for a directive asking teachers to set their WhatsApp display pictures to the Chief Minister’s image, forming part of the Punjab Sikhya Kranti campaign to showcase educational reforms. DTF accused the government of using teachers for political publicity. This is a reminder of when Shiromani Akal Dal was in power and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s pictures were on cycles gifted to girl school students and even hearse vans. In a separate event, on 4 Apr, police dismantled a 63-day protest by parents at Adarsh (ideal) School in Chowke, Bathinda by forcibly removing and arresting protesters. The parents were protesting corruption by sellers of school uniforms and text books. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU-Ekta Ugrahan), Bathinda district president Shingara Singh Mann said women were verbally abused and physically assaulted. BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Harinder Bindu was assaulted, elderly women were taken into custody. BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) state president Joginder Singh Ugrahan condemned the action, announcing a one-day protest. Meanwhile, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has successfully curbed dropout rates in its 40 higher education institutions from 30% to 5% over the past few years. An increased annual budget of USD 34.3M now supports a growing student population of over 33,000 in colleges and 24,655 in schools (earlier coverage).

A meeting led by Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann reviewed Panjab’s wheat procurement process amid concerns of storage shortages. As the government readies for an anticipated 12.4 million metric tonnes (MT) of wheat this season, CM Mann met Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on 26 Mar to seek daily dispatch of 40 rakes of grains out of Panjab, thereby freeing space by 30 Jun. Despite CM Mann’s request, only 20 rakes carrying 50K tonnes exit Panjab daily; officials fear a storage crunch by mid-April. With covered storage of 11.75M tonnes and open plinths accommodating 6M tonnes, Panjab’s total 23.5MT capacity remains heavily stretched. The state is currently creating Covered Area Plinths for 3.5MTs, though the union government typically disallows outdoor storage. Meanwhile, Panjab’s fisheries sector has flourished. Panjab Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian announced a total fish yield of 181K tonnes from 44K acres, plus an annual production of 140M fish seeds at 16 state-run farms. Fisheries Director Jasvir Singh revealed that a union govt.-sponsored scheme disbursed USD 3.5M in subsidies over four years, aiding shrimp operations in waterlogged districts like Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Faridkot, and Fazilka, where farmers net an annual profit of USD 2.9K to USD 4.6K per acre. In another positive story, marginal farmer Balwinder Singh Mann of Tungwali village, who, despite USD 134K in lifetime losses, built a thriving goat farm, selling Beetal goats, breeding sheep, and is planning a goat milk processing plant. In parallel, the Punjab Agricultural University has tackled ecological heritage issues by treating lacquer worm infestations in decades-old Dukh Bhanjani Beri (jujube trees) at key Sikh shrines. Researchers applied neem-based sprays, netting, and specialized solutions to revive these trees at Gurdwara Sisganj Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib, and other sites.

The Indian National Congress (INC) has named former Panjab minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu as its candidate for the Ludhiana West Assembly by-poll. This seat fell vacant when Aam Aadmi Party (APP) Member of the Legislative Assembly Gurpreet Bassi Gogi died in January 2025. INC president Mallikarjun Kharge has cleared Ashu’s nomination. The election date is yet to be announced. AAP has fielded Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) member Sanjeev Arora from the constituency. Meanwhile, internal dissent persists within the Panjab INC. On 4 Apr, several senior figures, including former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, met INC state-in-charge Bhupesh Baghel in Delhi, raising concerns about state party chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa. They objected to a show-cause notice served to Khushaldeep Dhillon for airing his views on a television show and decried what they termed inadequate support for Ashu after his Vigilance Bureau arrest in a transportation case in September 2024. Warring dismissed the episode as internal party matters. Meanwhile, AAP is intensifying efforts to capture the Ludhiana West seat. AAP national leaders have congregated in the city, especially after the party’s poor showing in the Delhi election in February, which they fear could embolden INC to woo AAP MLAs. With CM Bhagwant Singh Mann’s prestige at stake, the government’s recent clampdown on protesting farmers and a pivot toward anti-drug campaigns are seen as attempts to galvanize local trading communities and restore AAP’s credibility. In another development, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal claimed the AAP-led administration scaled back Z+ security for former minister Bikram Majithia as part of a witch-hunt; police clarified that Majithia’s security was only reduced, per threat assessment. Meanwhile, after recent reshuffling of officers in Panjab, four Indian Administrative Services officers, one Provincial Civil Service officer, and two Indian Police Service officers remain without new placements.

Toronto-based author Harleen Singh’s book The Lost Heer reimagines Panjab’s history through women protagonists whose lives have long remained in the shadows of a male-centric narrative. Spanning from the earliest appearance of British influence in Panjab’s princely states until the Partition of Panjab in 1947, the book draws upon archival sources and personal accounts to illuminate the extraordinary contributions of women typically relegated to roles as consorts, mothers, and daughters. The strength of the book lies in the truly wide sweep in terms of the women featured in the book. Singh moves beyond figures like Maharaja Ranjit Singh to focus on, for instance, Mai Fatto of Patiala, Bibi Sahib Kaur, the warrior princesses of Patiala, and Mai Moran, whose political counsel to Ranjit Singh is reappraised. Equally engaging is the inclusion of foreign women, such as Emily Eden, who interacts with the women of the zenana (bath house) in Lahore, and Elizabeth Janvier Newton, an American missionary in Ludhiana. The text delves into the experiences of pioneer female doctors, activists, and reformers, like Leelawati, Mai Bhagwati, Harnam Kaur, and Zainab Khatun, as well as cultural icons such as actress Mukhtar Begam and poet Amrita Pritam. Singh’s argument is further strengthened by an extensive bibliography and end notes, indicating rigorous research. As an exception to regular reviews, editor Karthik Venkatesh is mentioned as his contributions infuse the volume with additional depth. A critique that emerges is that the chapters, labeled simply One, Two, Three, offer no thematic clues, potentially making navigation challenging for scholars seeking particular material. Nonetheless, the book’s compelling vignettes of women forging significant sociopolitical impact—be they queens, revolutionaries, or missionaries—underscore a vital yet underexplored dimension of Panjab’s heritage. The Lost Heer stands out as a major contribution for those seeking a richer, more inclusive understanding of Panjab’s past.