Top Akali and Congress leaders, particularly the ruling Parkash Singh Badal-Sukhbir Singh father-son duo and the Punjab PCC chief Capt. Amarinder Singh, are using colourful language for criticizing each other. The Chief Minister says he has always been votary of morality in politics but alleges that Amarinder Singh is using “unparliamentary” and “derogatory” language against him and his Deputy Chief Minister son. Sukhbir Singh has also advised Amarinder Singh to observe some norm in criticizing his opponents.

No doubt, in his long political career the amiable and soft-spoken Chief Minister has never been seen getting angry and using derogatory language against his opponents. Even when provoked, his pet response used to be “chalo Chhaddo ji” (Please leave it).
But there have lately been signs of a change in the tenor and tone of his utterances while responding to the criticism by Amarinder Singh and his own nephew Manpreet Singh Badal. He has described Manpreet who was expelled from the ministry and the party as “traitor”. Manpreet has responded by labeling his uncle as “chief traitor”.
The father-son duo has also taken strong exception to Amarinder Singh’s describing the Badals as “maha corrupt” and “chors” (thieves). Sukhbir has hit back calling the Congress chief as the biggest “liar”, “a mental case who needs to be sent to a mental hospital”. Pat comes Amarinder Singh’s retort “if they have any objections to my calling them ‘chors’, from now I will address them as ‘Buddha Chor’ and ‘Jawan Chor’ or just ‘Chor Ji’ instead of ‘chors’”. He charged them with allegedly amassing Rs.10,000 crores through illegal control on sand, gravel, transport, cable and liquor businesses.

Well, there cannot be any objection to politicians running businesses or TV channels. The problem comes when they promote their businesses and usurped others using threats and police help. Not long ago, reports used to appear in the media about small time cable operators protesting against Sukhbir’s men usurping their source of livelihood by misusing official machinery.

Leave the abusive vibes between the political rivals. Only psychologists can tell if the use of “unparliamentary” and “derogatory” remarks by Amarinder Singh against the Badals is to avenge the virulent attacks the latter, particularly Sukhbir, used to make on his personal life when he was Chief Minister during 2002-2007. One is also not sure if the Badals use of “unparliamentary” comments against Amarinder is a reaction to the snow-balling of the anti-incumbency sentiment against the Akali-BJP government as indicated by the developments of the past few weeks.

For instance, the Congress rallies have been attracting huge and responsive crowds. The party has considerably succeeded in checking its factional fights. Even Amarinder Singh’s bête noire Jagmeet Singh Brar has now declared Amarinder Singh as the Congress’ Chief Ministerial nominee.

On the other hand, there have been increasing reports about the factional feuds among the grassroots level Akali workers. The simmering tensions continue to mar the Akali-BJP relations. There are also no signs of improvement in the BJP’s public image. The party’s senior most leader L.K. Advani’s Jan Chetna Yatra last week drew poor response in Punjab.

On the governance front also it is “All is unwell” as is evident from the government’s functioning. Law and order situation has been worsening. The father-son duo is busy in laying foundation stones (the exercise touched farcical levels on Friday when the chief Minister, within half an hour, laid two foundation stones, one on each end of the single bridge over the Satluj). The proximity to the elections has suddenly awakened the ruling elite about the problems of the people forcing it to announce sops for different sections of people, especially government employees. Foundation stones are being laid post-haste. Instead of mobilizing the voters through rallies, the emphasis is on distributing grants at “Sangat darshans”. But when the unemployed youth hold demonstrations at the “sangat darshans” to demand employment, they have to face the wrath of lathi-wielding policemen. The police do not even spare newsmen covering these demonstrations.

The critics of the government describe the announcements of sops as farcical on two counts. They ask how the government will implement its announcements because its treasury is empty and the state’s economy is slowing. Besides, Punjab faces a huge direct debt burden of Rs.77,585 crore and the avenues of loans have shrunk. To cover up is own shortcomings, the ruling Akali leaders have adopted the strategy of blaming the Centre for Punjab’s pitiable financial health. But they have no answer to the charge that the state government is not raising own resources and is not utilizing the central grants or misusing them.

The second reason for the farcical announcements is that because of the lengthy procedures, it may not be possible to implement all the announcements during the present government’s remaining three months of tenure.

The government coming to power after the February elections will have to deal with the serious problems, a legacy of the Akali-BJP government.

The new government will face three major challenges. One, to overcome the grave financial crisis and find resources to run the government. Two, to decentralize governmental powers which are presently centralized in the ruling family’s coterie. Three, to find ways to minimize politicisation of the bureaucracy, particularly of the police which is being used as the ruling clique’s tool against its opponents.

The tasks for the new government will be tough but not insurmountable. (IPA Service)