Is this a reflection of regional pride, historical tradition, or something else?
Opinion
National population share of Punjab in the country is 2.29 percent. Still, personnel below officer rank in the army have an 8% contribution from Punjab.
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa has questioned the claims made by the Union Minister Amit Shah during the BJP’s Moga rally, pointing out that border security falls under the Union Government led by Narendra Modi, which is responsible for preventing drugs and arms from entering Punjab. If the Centre has controlled the borders for years, and drug smuggling has remained a serious concern throughout that period, does the promise to make Punjab drug-free within two years raise a larger question, that if the Union Government truly had the will and the tools, could it not have taken decisive action much earlier ?
पंजाब विधानसभा में विपक्ष के नेता प्रताप सिंह बाजवा ने भाजपा की मोगा रैली में केंद्रीय गृह मंत्री अमित शाह द्वारा किए गए दावों पर सवाल उठाते हुए कहा कि सीमा सुरक्षा केंद्र सरकार के अधीन आती है, जिसका नेतृत्व नरेंद्र मोदी कर रहे हैं, और वही पंजाब में ड्रग्स और हथियारों की तस्करी रोकने के लिए जिम्मेदार है। यदि सीमाओं का नियंत्रण वर्षों से केंद्र के पास है और इस दौरान भी नशा तस्करी एक गंभीर समस्या बनी रही है, तो दो वर्षों में पंजाब को नशा-मुक्त बनाने का वादा क्या एक बड़ा सवाल नहीं उठाता कि यदि केंद्र सरकार के पास वास्तव में इच्छाशक्ति और साधन थे, तो क्या वह पहले ही सख्त कार्रवाई नहीं कर सकती थी ?
Concerns over Punjab’s fiscal health have intensified after Punjab Congress president Raja Warring demanded that the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party Government release a white paper on the state’s finances, alleging that excessive spending and poor fiscal management have weakened Punjab’s economic stability. With reports and fiscal indices pointing to rising debt levels, questions are now being raised not only about the current Government’s financial policies but also about what alternatives the opposition is offering. If the Congress hopes to return to power in Punjab, does it also need to clearly explain how it plans to tackle the state’s mounting debt and restore fiscal stability ?
