In Indian state, Punjab, ruling Akali BJP coalition has decided to demonstrate at New Delhi on 22 Feb 2008 against alleged discrimination by the Central Government on mainly three issues. These are indebtedness of the farmers, lack of industrial incentives, and formation of separate Sikh religious body in Haryana. 

In reality, Punjab is lacking behind even with comparison to tiny states of India on economic, educational and many other fronts, but for this hell, it will be wrong to single out and blame central govt. 

In the past most of the parties in power floated damaging economic policies for wooing rural block of votes. Cult of violence and an era of terrorism in the state, though over now, but it still hovers around the minds of outsiders intending to invest.

Recent Dera problem has also added to this mindset of the industrial community out side Punjab.

It will be difficult to drive out from the psyche of the prospective investors of the state that the Punjab is ruled by secular forces and communal tensions are not likely to happen in the future. Will it be possible for the Akalis to establish that they are the icons of all communities in the states?  

In fact the story is that Akalis never tried that the farmers should come out from the vicious cycle of intensive farming of paddy and wheat turning their indebtedness more severe. Instead by offering them free bonanza of power, it proved that the farmer of the state would never get rid of this type of cropping pattern. How central govt can be blamed for this?

Second, how states like Haryana and Gujarat are performing better, in spite of the fact that they are not enjoying free tax holiday packages like Himachal J.K and Uttaranchal states. 

In fact bureaucracy in the state has never been friendly with industry people in the state as we find in Karnataka and Gujarat. This discourages industry to flourish in state. At present there are high power cuts in the state. 

Do we think Dr Manmohan Singh is responsible for delayed power reforms in the Punjab by the state , a prerequisite for industry to breathe ? Apparently not. He has been more liberal to the present ruling regime in sanctioning many development projects to the state during last one year .

 Hence forth, the proposed demonstration on 22 Feb. at New Delhi is more of a political effort to consolidate its base across the state in the light of forthcoming Lok Sabha polls due next year.

Dr.Varinder Bhatia is Professor in DAV college Amritsar.