Punjab, often referred to as the nation’s food bowl, has been historically known for the great sacrifices that it has made for the country and its people. It has played an unapparelled role in shaping the nation from feeding the people to guarding the borders, yet decades after independence the state still lacks basic institutions that most other smaller states possess.
Recently during the Republic Day celebrations, the Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has ones again drawn the attention the much-needed issue and raised his voice for the people of Punjab. Talking during the event CM Mann says that even decades after independence, Punjab lacks its own:
1. State Capital
2. High Court
The Chief Minister said the state has been unjustly denied its rightful capital and a separate High Court since Independence. Talking further about this he says, that attempts to undermine Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh, Panjab University and its water rights would not succeed. He underlined that Punjab would continue to pursue legal and constitutional remedies every day to protect its interests.
If we turn the pages of history, we can see how freedom movements such as the Kuka Movement, Babbar Akali Movement, Ghadar Movement, Komagata Maru incident and Pagri Sambhal Jatta were led by Punjabis. National heroes like Baba Maharaj Singh, Baba Ram Singh, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Sukhdev, Lala Lajpat Rai, Shaheed Udham Singh, Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, Madan Lal Dhingra, Diwan Singh Kalepani and hundreds of others laid down their lives for the freedom of India. Punjabis have made an exemplary contribution to the nation’s progress and have always been at the forefront in safeguarding the country and making it self-reliant in food production.
Punjab’s farmers are the nation’s food providers whose hard work and resilience ensure that no one sleeps hungry. Highlighting this the CM says, “Punjab contributes more than 60 percent to the nation’s food reserves. Even during last year’s devastating floods, Punjab’s farmers contributed 156 lakh metric tones of paddy to the central pool,” adding that because of the contribution of Punjab’s farmers and soldiers, the state is aptly called the “Food Bowl and Sword Arm of the Nation.”
Talking on the Republic Day event, CM Mann highlighted that the absence of a separate High Court, and said that even the smallest states in the North East have their own capitals but it is unfortunate that Punjab does not have its capital yet and has to share its capital, Chandigarh with Haryana. The CM says, "In the absence of its own High Court, Punjabis have to suffer a lot due to the huge pendency of cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court."
