Post-Poll Journeys, Dispatch 4: Addressing Immigration, Drug Abuse, And Proselytisation Is BJP's Path To Winning Hearts In Punjab

Let us look at the development indicators for Punjab. The chart below presents the multi-dimensional poverty headcount ratio from NITI Aayog.  I just realised that this trip has taken me through the nine of the poorest districts in Punjab.

Just to reiterate, the media does not pay much attention to west Punjab. Places to left of the Delhi-Amritsar line are given a short shrift.

But, it has to be acknowledged that the poverty numbers of Punjab are not as alarming as they are in UP or Bihar. Even Fazilka and Firozpur, that top the chart, have poverty ratios of approximately 9 per cent. 

Quite surprisingly, the poverty head-counts have turned for the worse in Bathinda and Faridkot between the two surveys conducted in 2016 and 2021. Hope the state government is taking a closer look.

Immigration Craze 

The journey across Moga district revealed another facet of Punjab's current reality — a landscape replete with billboards of visa consultants. This visual representation of the widespread desire to emigrate brought to mind Paras' (remember our friend from Firozpur?) poignant observation about NRIs (non-resident Indians).

Punjabis that leave home for blue collar jobs, often find themselves missing India, gaining a new appreciation for the value of money and realising how carelessly they had spent their parents' hard-earned wealth when they were home.

In Mansa district, a conversation with a chatty couple that ran a chai shop offered insights into the heart of rural Punjab.

Surprisingly, the infrastructure issues — roads, water, power, hospitals, or education — were not at the forefront of their concerns.

Instead, the spectre of drug abuse loomed large, dominating our 30-minute discussion. While the influx of drugs from Pakistan was acknowledged, the question of internal distribution remained a troubling mystery. 

With their elder daughter studying in Canada and another pursuing engineering, her family embodied the pressure to seek opportunities abroad. I asked her, "If Mansa is a swargbhumi as she claims with every necessity being satisfied, why did her daughter leave for Canada?".

She noted that immigration has become a status symbol, creating immense pressure on the younger generation. She is very proud of her daughter, but, she also worries that she is overworked in Canada.

I ask them about conversion to Christianity that I read was quite rampant in the area. They said that it is more prevalent in northern Punjab in Gurdaspur and Amritsar.

Neighbouring Malerkotla is home to a large Muslim population. Though there seems to be no pronounced caste discrimination here, there is an observable bias against migrant labour from the Hindi heartland. 

The village where I was sitting fell under the Bathinda parliamentary constituency. They chose Harsimrat Badal for the fourth time in the recently held elections. In 2022, the Aam Aadmi Party had swept all the nine assembly segments.

The couple liked the mohalla clinic nearby and the lady said that she gets medicines for free and the nurses are available for quick consultations. That was the first appreciation of the mohalla clinic I have ever heard. 

They entertained the perception that while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre had offered benefits to other states, Punjab had received a step-motherly treatment. The conversation revealed a lingering fondness for the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

They credited the Badal family for local development initiatives, including water purification systems that had significantly improved public health. Apparently, the SAD lost people's trust only because of the beadbi issue. 

The proximity to Moosewala's village was pointed out. The pride in the late artist's achievements and his impact on the region in just four years was palpable. 

Perhaps the most striking revelation was the central role of digital media in their lives. The couple have disconnected their TV at home. YouTube has become their primary source of news, entertainment, and connection to the wider world. The lady spends at least four hours daily on Youtube and Facebook, using them to stay in touch with friends and relatives. 

As I prepared to leave, I invited them to visit Chennai someday. The lady was charmingly innocent in asking where Chennai was located. I explained that it was just beyond Hazur Sahib, using a reference point familiar to them. 

The Sangrur Stopover 

Sangrur in Punjab, despite being the Chief Minister's constituency, presented a stark contrast to expectations. The crumbling municipal infrastructure — from roads to erratic power and water supply — raised questions about local governance and development priorities. 

I get chatting with Devendra, a local youth in Dirba, south of Sangrur. The young man, having lost his father to a recent hooch tragedy, identified intoxication as the singular, pressing issue plaguing Sangrur. His eyes welled up while he spoke about his father. 

He said that people who want to work will always be able to find work. His resilience and determination to find work locally, rather than attempting to immigrate, was refreshing. 

The pyramidal local social structures with the zamindar at the top and field workers in the bottom ensure that people vote en-bloc based on the diktats of the zamindar.

Apparently, orders were issued this time to vote against the BJP. The MSP (minimum support price) issue and the repealed farm laws still rankle people. 

Devendra said that AAP's victory in the 2022 assembly elections might be their "first and last chance" if substantial changes are not implemented soon.

Interestingly, the vote for AAP was described more as a vote against the BJP. The Aam Aadmi Party's new young Member of Parliament, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, is popular among the youth. He was minister in the Mann cabinet holding multiple portfolios. 

Epilogue Of The Punjab Leg

What you discover travelling in Punjab and Haryana is that they are so unlike UP or Bihar in their sophistication (or lack thereof) of political nous. They are more emotional and straightforward people, but with dollops of attitude.

The absence of stark caste politics and still oozing patriotism offer opportunities for the BJP to make inroads with the right local candidates and national narrative. 

Though grappling with serious challenges, the warmth of the people, their pride in local achievements, and their adaptability in embracing new technologies paint a picture of a community striving for progress while holding onto its roots.

Also Read:

Post-Poll Journeys, Dispatch 1: What's The Mood Like In Haryana?

Post-Poll Journeys, Dispatch 2: In Sirsa And North-West Rajasthan, Unemployment And Exodus Of Educated Youth Are A Big Concern

Post-Poll Journeys, Dispatch 3: The Pulse Of A Punjab That Needs A Healing Touch