Corridors of power: Akali leader’s caution for Modi, Punjab minister’s half-bucket bath

Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann recently left the Chandigarh Police red-faced after slipping past their cordon during the Quami Insaf Morcha’s call for release of Bandi Singhs. Dressed as an injured man, wrapped in bandages and travelling in an ambulance, Mann managed to deceive the police before being detained.

The octogenarian leader used the stunt to caution Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that Sikhs can disguise themselves. The episode has reignited speculation about Mann's political influence, which has waned since the rise of Amritpal Singh's Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De).

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate's leaked dossier on a businessman, who allegedly had access to sensitive government offices, has left Punjab bureaucrats on edge. The bureaucratic community is now keen to determine if their names are mentioned in the dossier's annexures, adding a new layer of unease to their daily routine. The prospect of personal names being exposed has triggered a wave of caution within the Punjab bureaucracy.

In another development, an aide of a prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has found himself under the ED scanner due to a recent raid. Despite the attention the raid has brought, the aide's influence within the party remains strong. His brother-in-law was recently appointed as the incharge of a constituency, a move that could position him as a potential candidate for the 2027 Assembly elections. The recent ED action has not deterred the aide, who continues to wield considerable political clout in the AAP.

In a significant water conservation initiative, Punjab's Water Resources Minister Barinder Goyal stunned the Vidhan Sabha by claiming to take a bath with just half a bucket of water. He also emphasized the importance of sparingly using soap, bathing with it only once every 10 days. While Goyal's half-bucket bath gesture may seem symbolic to some farmers dependent on groundwater-intensive agriculture, it serves as a stark reminder of the urgent water crisis facing the state.

Whether Goyal's conservation efforts will translate into meaningful change in Punjab's water management remains to be seen.