Throughout 2023, a series of conflicts marred the relationship between Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Banwari Lal Purohit, the Punjab Governor’s House. During this period, the state government made repeated appeals to the Supreme Court, while Governor Banwarilal Purohit indirectly hinted at the imposition of President’s rule. Mann grappled with the devastating impact of floods in 2023, leading farmers to block roads, escalating concerns across the state. Simultaneously, a Khalistani Terrorist, Amritpal Singh, invoked memories of Khalistani terrorism, stirring controversy in the border state.
The dispute over the Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal with Haryana deepened, prompting the Supreme Court to order a survey of the land allocated to Punjab for constructing the canal several decades ago. Punjab reiterated its stance, stating a lack of surplus water for any neighboring state. Governor Purohit raised various questions to Mann, including criteria for selecting school principals for foreign trips as part of their training. Mann responded, emphasizing his sole accountability to the three crore Punjabis.
Allegations of ‘interference’ in the elected government’s functioning were raised against Governor Purohit. In response, the Governor paid no heed to the Aam Aadmi Party government’s request to convene an Assembly session. In June, when Mann’s government labeled a two-day Assembly meeting as an ‘extension’ of the budget session, the Raj Bhavan expressed discontent. This move seemingly aimed to bypass the need for Governor Purohit’s approval. The state government took this matter to the Supreme Court, which, in November, clarified the session as ‘constitutionally valid’ rather than ‘invalid.’ However, it questioned the continuous indefinite postponement of the budget session instead of merely suspending it.
In August, Purohit warned that unless the state government responded to his letters, he could recommend President’s rule and initiate criminal proceedings. During an Assembly session, Mann’s government introduced bills seemingly encroaching on central powers. The Punjab University Law (Amendment) Bill, 2023, stripped the Governor of the role of chancellor in state-operated universities. The Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023, bypassed the Union Public Service Commission in appointing police chiefs in Punjab. The Governor has now secured these bills and another for the President’s consideration.
Khalistani Terrorist Amritpal Singh emerged as the most significant security challenge. Gangsters from abroad troubled Punjab Police throughout the year, continuously dropping consignments of drugs and weapons across the India-Pakistan border. However, the most prominent security threat seemed to come from Khalistani sympathizer Amritpal Singh. Following the demise of Khalistani sympathiser and radical cum actor Deep Sidhu, Singh took charge as the head of the organization ‘Waris Punjab De.’ Supporters stormed a police station in Amritsar district on February 23, demanding the release of one of Singh’s aides, leading to a clash with the police.
After continuous search operations in Punjab and neighboring states, Amritpal Singh was arrested on April 23. Singh and his key aides faced charges under stringent National Security Act and are currently incarcerated in Assam. The Aam Aadmi Party supported the year-long farmers’ protest against the three agricultural laws brought in by the Centre. However, the protests against the AAP government in Punjab disrupted Mann’s sleep. Last year, farmers repeatedly protested, blocking roads, sitting on railway tracks, and demonstrating against government offices, demanding compensation for severe losses due to torrential rains and better prices for their produce.
AAP’s victory in the Jalandhar Lok Sabha by-elections reminded the farmer unions that if they obstructed roads, people might turn against them. Mann secured a win in the May by-elections in Congress’s stronghold. Both parties are part of the opposition alliance ‘Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)’ but hinted at contesting independently in Punjab for the 2024 parliamentary elections.
From a cricketer to a politician, Navjot Singh Sidhu, after serving a one-year sentence in the three-decade-old road rage case, was released from Patiala Jail this year. In this case, a person lost their life. In a historic move for Punjab’s politics, Prakash Singh Badal, the guardian of the Shiromani Akali Dal and a five-time Chief Minister, passed away at the age of 95 in 2023.
