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Guest Column: Time for Punjab to shun precarious governance
Punjab is prosperous. The number of poor in the state is relatively small. No one goes hungry, and there are a very few shelter-less people in the state. It is home to nearly 3 million migrants from other states. Punjab’s growth, however, is not detached from politics and historical shocks suffered by it.
Punjab is in the vanguard of national territorial and food security. The state’s resilience and contribution in various spheres of life are well known. The governance in the state has, however, been under attack, terming it precarious, non-transparent, less responsive or complacent, introverted, and undisciplined in financial management. The unsustainable political policy ambitions of state’s elected governments have also been critiqued. These negative perceptions shadow the performance of an otherwise developed and progressive state.
Punjab is prosperous. The number of poor in the state is relatively small. No one goes hungry, and there are a very few shelter-less people in the state. It is home to nearly 3 million migrants from other states. Punjab’s growth, however, is not detached from politics and historical shocks suffered by it.
Many believe that the foundations of modern Punjab were laid by S. Pratap Singh Kairon. He appeared and maintained a rustic rural biopic but was an economics and political science postgraduate from Michigan and Berkeley Universities in the US. Envisioning Punjab as the granary and a golden state of the country, he gave thrust on developing quality infrastructure. Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, Bhakra Dam, and the Capital city of Chandigarh are examples of Punjabi pride of those days. Kairon also laid the foundation of industrial hubs at Faridabad and Gurgaon, now in Haryana. Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru backed him, and both opposed the linguistic division of the state.
The deep impact of state’s trifurcation
Responding to the emerging portents of Punjab politics and the development needs of the state, Kairon solicited the support of the central government. He could foresee socio-economic unrest and political and emotional upsurge if the state was divided. The state was, however, trifurcated in 1966, and consequently, the governance became more precarious and conflict-centric than ever before.
Punjab has been more politically unstable than any other state. President’s rule has been imposed in the state eight times so far. Much of this was in the 80s during the height of militancy.
The political instability made governance more tippy and alienated the local politicians, making them vulnerable and obliged to forces inimical to national unity and integrity. The repeated central rule in Punjab made the local civil administration less locally embedded and more non-transparent. Naxalism, extremism, and terrorism in the state surely diminished but with a changed course and manifestations. Some of us are witnesses to the “kill at will’ situation that prevailed in Punjab in the eighties and early nineties.
Political govts have exploited prosperity achieved through Green Revolution
Ordinarily, Naxalism and terrorism are considered outcomes of poverty. But, the state of Punjab has experienced these despite being a prosperous, aware and literate society. Why did this happen? Was it due to malfunctioning governments, the pronounced majoritarianism but silent communalism, wider socio-economic inequalities, or the persistent sense of insecurity amongst some communities inculcated by false narratives during the country’s partition in 1947? Political scientists believe all of these to be the reasons, though differently at different times. It is, however, not easy to make any conclusive statement except that politicians and bureaucrats give varying reasons depending upon the emerging situations in the state.
Many believe the political governments exploited the prosperity achieved through the Green Revolution, which the central government had driven. State politics was exacerbated through religious and emotional premises and outlandish actions. Geo-political factors also contributed to the political instability in the state. Pakistan considered Punjab a soft buffer state between the two countries and expected support for its anti-India activities. It did not happen. The Punjabis, more importantly, the Sikhs, are true patriots. They may be aggressive and emotional but are not secessionists. They have decisively defeated the nefarious designs of the Pakistan army and even terrorism during the last many decades.
Performance, productivity of bureaucracy need to be enhanced
Historical shocks, however, still shadow the governance in Punjab. For this, the state political leadership has to identify the factors influencing the people’s aspirations and not be guided and distracted by issues having no impact on their life. The new perspectives of governance, with the change of politics from conventional to aspirational, should focus on sustainable policy premises, transparency, high-quality services, financial discipline, and alleviation of economic distress of farmers and small businesses. Joblessness, which is the outcome of the near economic stagnation of the state, needs the uppermost attention.
The performance and productivity of the bureaucracy should be enhanced, making them more embedded in local contexts without losing sight of global perspectives.
The conflicts of Punjab, whether they are the result of historical shocks or geo-political factors, should be resolved by building upon its laurels, which are not small. The policies of the state and central governments should not oscillate with the change of political governments, ensuring these respond to much-feared economic stagnancy, bureaucratic hesitancy, and idiosyncratic militancy. The state should move forward with new political governance perspectives, burying the past garbage, physical, financial, or philosophical.
sureshkumarnangia@gmail.com
The writer is a retired Punjab cadre IAS officer. Views expressed are personal
