Created on November 1, 1966, after bifurcating Punjab, Haryana has moved way ahead of its progressive neighbour in many aspects of development.
Even though Punjab has announced that it will celebrate the half centenary of the creation of ‘Punjabi Suba’ on a massive scale, questions are being raised on whether it should actually be celebrating the occasion at all.
“What did we get from the agitation for the Punjabi Suba? What are they celebrating? Well-known author Khushwant Singh had quipped many years back. ‘Majj vech ke ghodi layee, dudh peeno gaye, lidd sitni payee’ (After selling the buffalo, we bought a horse; we had to forgo milk and ended up removing shit). The Akali governments never celebrated Punjab Day earlier,” former state information commissioner P.P.S. Gill, who observed and reported on Punjab over the years as a senior journalist earlier, told news agency IANS.
In his well-researched book “Punjab: A Frozen Tear” (released last year), Mr Gill minced no words to point out that “once a prosperous state, Punjab today is a problem state”.
“From a food bowl state, Punjab has become a basket case; once a frontline state, it is now a fault-line state. Punjab is now only presenting bouquets in New Delhi to seek one or the other package for everything (over the years) that has gone wrong,” Mr Gill pointed out.
Punjab Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema, however, seemed quite upbeat about the three-week celebrations. At least 80 events are being held across Punjab which will culminate in Amritsar with a grand celebration on November 1.
