Punjab Outlook Analysis-Punjab Government Must Answer: Which Section of Society Is Actually Happy With Its Performance?-A Four-Year Accountability Question for Bhagwant Mann Government — Farmers, Employees, Teachers, Youth, Workers, Journalists and Industry Still Struggling
Punjab is heading towards another Assembly election, and one simple question deserves to be posed to the Bhagwant Mann government: which section of Punjab’s society is genuinely satisfied with the government’s performance? This is not merely a political question and should not be dismissed as an Opposition slogan. It is a question that deserves an answer from the government itself and from the people of Punjab.
When the Aam Aadmi Party came to power in 2022 with an overwhelming mandate, expectations were exceptionally high. The party had presented itself as an alternative to the traditional political establishment and promised cleaner governance, employment opportunities, better education and healthcare, action against drugs, relief for farmers and improved services for ordinary people. Punjabis were promised a new political culture and a government that would listen to the common man.
But four years later, Punjab’s political landscape is marked by a long list of agitations, demonstrations, strikes, sit-ins and demands from different sections of society. Farmers, employees, teachers, unemployed youth, contractual workers, MGNREGA workers, sanitation workers, pensioners and journalists have, at different times, taken to the streets or publicly raised grievances against the government. This does not necessarily mean that the government has failed in every area, but it certainly raises a serious question about the level of public satisfaction.
The first major test came relatively early. In 2023, government employees launched prolonged agitation over issues including pending dearness allowance and implementation of the Old Pension Scheme. The government eventually held talks and released one instalment of DA, but several employee demands continued to remain unresolved. The episode demonstrated that even the government workforce, which is responsible for implementing government policies, was increasingly impatient with the administration.
The farmer question became even more complicated during 2024 and 2025. Farmers established major protest sites at Shambhu and Khanauri, raising demands related to MSP, agricultural policy, debt, procurement and other issues. The protests continued for an extended period and eventually became a major political challenge for the Punjab government.
In March 2025, Punjab Police cleared the Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites, and hundreds of farmers were detained during the operation. The action generated considerable political controversy. Instead of disappearing, however, the farmer issue continued. Farmer organisations subsequently raised fresh objections over arrests and government policies, demonstrating that the fundamental grievances had not simply vanished with the removal of the protest sites.
By 2026, protests had spread across an even wider section of Punjab society. Employee unions, MGNREGA workers, contractual employees, teachers, sanitation workers, power-sector employees and unemployed youth were among those raising demands concerning wages, recruitment, regularisation, pensions, job security and working conditions. The streets increasingly became an alternative forum for sections of society that felt their demands were not receiving sufficient attention through normal administrative channels.
Teachers have repeatedly complained about service conditions and the assignment of non-teaching duties. In several instances, teacher organisations protested against being used for administrative and survey-related work instead of being allowed to concentrate on education. Such disputes may appear administrative on the surface, but they point to a larger question about whether Punjab’s education system is being managed according to the priorities of teachers and students.
The problem of contractual employees is another long-running issue. Thousands of workers continue to demand regularisation and greater job security. For many of these employees, government employment does not necessarily mean financial security. The distinction between being employed and having a stable career has become increasingly important in Punjab, particularly for young people who entered government service through contractual arrangements.
The MGNREGA workforce has also become part of the growing protest movement. Workers and employees have raised issues concerning wages, employment and administrative arrangements. When rural workers dependent upon employment programmes have to organise large-scale protests to make their voices heard, the government should ask itself whether its rural development policies are reaching the people who need them most.
The situation of government employees became particularly striking in August 2026, when a massive statewide strike affected government functioning. Employee organisations and pensioners raised demands including pending DA, implementation of the Old Pension Scheme and regularisation of contractual employees. The scale of the agitation was significant because it involved people working inside the government system itself.
The media community has also had its disagreements with the government. Journalist organisations have raised demands concerning pensions, welfare schemes and other issues and have threatened agitation. At the same time, political opponents and sections of the media have raised concerns about press freedom and the relationship between the government and journalists. These allegations remain politically contested, but the fact that journalists’ organisations themselves have publicly protested shows that relations between the government and sections of the media have not always been smooth.
Industry and business present a more complicated picture. The government can point to investment initiatives, industrial policies and measures intended to promote economic activity, and some sections of industry have welcomed these efforts. But industrial organisations have also expressed concerns about Punjab’s debt position, infrastructure and the difficulties facing traditional manufacturing centres. Therefore, even in a sector where the government can claim some progress, the picture is not uniformly positive.
The youth question may ultimately be the most important of all. Punjab has a large educated young population, and employment remains one of the central concerns of families across the state. Government recruitment announcements may provide political relief, but young people need sustainable employment in the private sector as well as government jobs. If educated youth continue to believe that their future lies outside Punjab, then the state has a much deeper economic and social problem than an ordinary recruitment dispute.
The drug menace and law-and-order situation also remain major concerns for Punjab families. The government has launched campaigns and enforcement drives against drugs and can point to arrests and seizures as evidence of action. Yet the continuing scale of drug dependence demonstrates that the problem cannot be solved merely through announcements or periodic police operations. Punjab needs a long-term strategy involving enforcement, treatment, prevention, rehabilitation and employment.
This brings us back to the fundamental question: who is actually happy with the performance of the Punjab government?
Are the farmers satisfied? If so, why do major farmer organisations continue to protest?
Are government employees satisfied? If so, why have there been statewide strikes?
Are teachers satisfied? If so, why have teacher organisations repeatedly taken to the streets?
Are contractual employees satisfied? If so, why does regularisation remain a major demand?
Are MGNREGA workers satisfied? If so, why have they organised prolonged protests?
Are unemployed youth satisfied? If so, why does employment remain one of Punjab’s most politically sensitive issues?
Are pensioners satisfied? If so, why have they participated in employee and pension-related agitations?
Are journalists satisfied? If so, why have journalist organisations threatened protests over their demands?
Are industrialists and traders completely satisfied? If so, why do business organisations continue to raise concerns about the economic environment?
The government has every right to present its achievements. It should tell Punjab what it has delivered, how much has been spent, how many jobs have been created, how many promises have been fulfilled and what measurable improvements have taken place. But the Opposition also has the right to ask questions, and the people have the final right to judge the answers.
Perhaps the most useful step would be for the Punjab government to conduct an independent Punjab Public Satisfaction Audit before the next Assembly election. Farmers, farm labourers, teachers, government employees, pensioners, unemployed youth, students, industrialists, traders, healthcare workers, sanitation workers, contractual employees, journalists, women and ordinary rural and urban households should all be asked one straightforward question: “Are you satisfied with the performance of the Punjab government?”
The results should be published district by district and constituency by constituency. Such an exercise would provide a much clearer picture than political speeches, government advertisements or social-media campaigns.
The Bhagwant Mann government can claim achievements, and those achievements should be examined fairly. But governance cannot be measured only by announcements. It must also be measured by whether people feel heard, whether promises are fulfilled, whether government employees receive their legitimate dues, whether farmers feel secure, whether young people see a future in Punjab, whether teachers are able to teach, whether workers have dignity and whether citizens believe that the state machinery works for them.
After more than four years in office, the question is therefore no longer simply whether the government has made promises. The question is how many promises have actually changed people’s lives?
Punjab does not need another political slogan. It needs an honest performance report.
And perhaps the most uncomfortable question for the government is also the simplest:
“Show us the section of Punjab’s society that is completely satisfied with your performance and tell us why.”Because ultimately, a government’s report card should not be written by the government itself.It should be written by the people.
Disclaimer: This article and accompanying images are for informational and illustrative purposes only. Some visuals may be AI-generated or digitally enhanced and may not depict actual events or persons.Views expressed are based on publicly available information and analysis