Did you know eliminating NO2 emissions from Coal Power Plants could save India nearly $1 billion annually in crop damages, boosting rice and wheat yields by up to $820 million each year, according to a Stanford study?
The BJP has promised to make Punjab drug-free if voted to power. But before voters accept that promise, should they first examine the party's record in states where it has governed for years ? Massive drug seizures, including 3,000 kg of narcotics worth nearly ₹21,000 Crores at Mundra Port in Gujarat, along with a CAG observation that over 2,200 kg of seized drugs were reportedly claimed to have been eaten by rats, have raised uncomfortable questions about enforcement. If the BJP could not fully eliminate the drug menace in states under its own rule, what makes Punjab believe the outcome will be different ? Should voters judge anti-drug promises by campaign speeches, or by governance on the ground ?
भाजपा ने वादा किया है कि सत्ता में आने पर वह पंजाब को नशा-मुक्त बना देगी। लेकिन इस वादे पर भरोसा करने से पहले क्या मतदाताओं को उन राज्यों में भाजपा के रिकॉर्ड को नहीं देखना चाहिए, जहाँ वह वर्षों से सत्ता में है ? गुजरात के मुंद्रा पोर्ट पर लगभग 21,000 करोड़ रुपये मूल्य की 3,000 किलोग्राम नशीली दवाओं की बरामदगी, और सी.ए.जी. की उस टिप्पणी कि 2,200 किलोग्राम से अधिक जब्त नशीले पदार्थों के चूहों द्वारा खा लिए जाने का दावा किया गया, कानून-व्यवस्था और जवाबदेही पर गंभीर सवाल खड़े करते हैं। यदि भाजपा अपने ही शासित राज्यों में नशे के कारोबार को पूरी तरह खत्म नहीं कर पाई, तो पंजाब क्यों माने कि यहाँ नतीजे अलग होंगे ? क्या मतदाताओं को नशा-मुक्त पंजाब के वादे का आकलन चुनावी भाषणों से करना चाहिए, या ज़मीनी प्रदर्शन से ?
Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) has declared jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh as its proposed Chief Ministerial face for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. The announcement raises a larger question: What does it say about Punjab's politics when a party seeks a mandate with a Chief Ministerial candidate who is currently in jail ? Is this a new model of political mobilisation built on symbolism, or does it reflect a growing belief that emotion can outweigh governance? More importantly, can Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) convince Punjabis that a leadership model unable to actively participate in day-to-day governance is the best roadmap for Punjab's future ? What does this political strategy by Akali Dal reflect ?
