‘Soft govts’ since 1995 to blame for Punjab’s decline, says former J&K Governor Vohra

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, March 4

Drawing on decades of his experience in government, former Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra today said Punjab’s decline started after 1995 and continues even today.

Vohra was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day international seminar on “Political economy and governance of Punjab” organised by the National Institute of Panjab Studies, Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, in collaboration with India International Centre.

At the start of the conference, a message from former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was read out.

More active support needed from central agencies

Our police have acquired a bad name as they have been misused…. Punjab is a vulnerable border state and we cannot be allowed to drift along as has been done for many years. The state needs more sympathy and more active support from Central agencies. —NN Vohra, Former J&K Governor

Vohra said “soft governments” since 1995, which were ineffective, indecisive and directionless, were to blame for Punjab’s decline.

“Post militancy, one would have thought that political masters would take decisions to bring Punjab back on the rails. That didn’t happen. The decline didn’t stop and damage continues to be done,” he said.

Vohra, who is a 1959 batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, drew the progress and decline of Punjab post 1947 in three phases — 1947 to 1967, 1967 to 1992 and 1992 to 2024.

The former J&K Governor, who has also been Union Home Secretary, dug into history and mentioned the clash on Baisakhi in 1978, saying the incident triggered militancy and the successive governments had failed to bring law and order under control. “The damage done to harmony that day continues even today,” Vohra said.

Talking about the times of Partap Singh Kairon (Punjab Chief Minister from 1956 to 1964), Vohra said, “He laid the path of future development and ensured an outstanding delivery system. The work he did as Rehabilitation Minister after 1947 has not been matched by any of his successors.”

The Kairon model of development was agriculture-oriented, but he did not neglect the industry. The momentum continued into the 1970s and Punjab ranked high on national indices, he said.

Vohra also talked about the 1980s and the rise of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, whose entry into the Golden Temple led to disturbance. “When politicians couldn’t tackle it, they sent in the Army. People world over could not accept this. It did serious damage to the psyche of the Sikh community,” said Vohra.

On agriculture, he said during the 1960s, the idea of the paddy-wheat cycle of cultivation came from the Central government. The land is now overexploited and the water table has gone down.

“Drugs is the biggest disaster. The supply chains have not been ruptured. We have not dealt with drug smuggling in the ideal manner,” said Vohra, adding, “New Delhi has not given the kind of attention that is needed to stop smuggling, infiltration and drugs.”

“Our police have acquired a bad name as they have been misused…. Punjab is a vulnerable border state and we cannot be allowed to drift along as has been done for many years. The state needs more sympathy and more active support from Central agencies,” he said.

Prof Lakhwinder Singh Gill, formerly with Punjabi University, Patiala, spoke about the transition from agriculture to the industry. In 1971, 63 per cent of people were employed in the agriculture sector. “By 2020, this reversed and 54 per cent population became part of the services sector. If we want to restructure Punjab, we will need the industrial sector to move ahead…. The way forward is knowledge economy,” he said.

Former Punjab Chief Secretary Ramesh Inder Singh said Punjab was a gateway to invasions, which created a consumerist society.

He also spoke about Amritpal Singh, who was arrested last year, saying there were forces sitting in other countries which shouldn’t be allowed to manipulate people.

“Please send a message that we are not a violent society. Come and invest. One-sector growth and dependence on a single sector will not carry us forward,” he added.