Punjab, once a shining symbol of India’s resilience and prosperity, is witnessing a deep and disturbing decline in its political landscape. The land that once stood tall for its sacrifices in the freedom movement, for spearheading the Green Revolution, and for producing brave soldiers is now reeling under the weight of political decay. What was once a space for visionary leadership and bold action has turned into a marketplace of lies, broken promises, and shameless self-interest. The credibility of political leaders is eroding fast, and the trust of the common man has been shattered beyond repair.
At the heart of Punjab’s political crisis lies a dangerous vacuum of honest and committed leadership. The new-age politician seems less like a public servant and more like a power broker, navigating political currents not for the people’s benefit but for personal gain. Party-hopping, opportunistic alliances, and a blatant disregard for public welfare have become common. Politicians are more focused on how to manipulate media headlines than on how to improve healthcare, education, or employment in the state. Sadly, the average voter now sees little difference between parties—all seem to be part of the same system of exploitation.
This political degeneration is further fueled by a culture of manipulation and deceit. Leaders make tall claims during elections—jobs for every household, drug-free Punjab, loan waivers for farmers—but once in power, they conveniently forget everything. Investigations into major issues such as sacrilege incidents, drug trafficking, or illegal sand mining are either delayed endlessly or hushed up quietly. Press conferences and ribbon-cutting events take precedence over actual governance. Meanwhile, crores of public money are spent on image-building, fake advertisements, and social media campaigns designed to glorify ruling leaders rather than inform citizens.
The situation becomes even more alarming when we consider how Punjab’s long-pending and emotional issues have been repeatedly ignored. The question of Chandigarh as the rightful capital, the fight for Punjabi-speaking areas, the injustice of water-sharing through the SYL canal, and the erosion of Punjab’s federal rights under the Bhakra Beas Management Board—these are all critical matters that affect the state’s dignity and development. Yet they are used as mere vote-catching tools. Leaders raise them loudly during election time but quietly surrender once power is secured. This repeated betrayal has created a feeling among Punjabis that their identity and voice have been systematically ignored by their own elected representatives.
As a result, the gap between the people and their leaders has become almost unbridgeable. In border villages, farming towns, and industrial cities alike, the sentiment is the same: politicians cannot be trusted. The youth are desperate to leave the country, seeking better lives abroad. Farmers, the backbone of Punjab’s economy, continue to battle rising debts, poor returns, and an apathetic government. Small traders and unemployed youth are disillusioned, and elders are left wondering what happened to the Punjab they once knew and loved.
What Punjab faces today is not just a leadership crisis but a collapse of political morality. There is a need for a new political awakening—one rooted in truth, transparency, and people-first governance. The state must urgently move away from personality-based politics and build systems where accountability, honesty, and public dialogue are central. Civil society, especially the educated and committed youth, must step forward. Political parties must be made to answer for their failures, and the public must stop rewarding liars and frauds with votes.
Punjab’s rich legacy deserves better than the lies and theatrics that dominate its politics today. If the state is to reclaim its lost glory, it must begin by cleansing its politics—removing those who treat power as a business and replacing them with those who treat it as a sacred duty. Only then can the wounds of the past be healed, and Punjab once again become a land of pride, prosperity, and promise.