The concept of Halka (constituency) incharge pioneered by Akali Dal under Sukhbir Badal is the epitome of centralisation ,Highhandedness,corruption and Politicisation of the state .
The anger bordering in hatred amongst common people against Akali Dal is to a large extent due to this system of "Halka Incharge " .
A typical Halka incharge is an Akali MLA or defeated candidate in assembly elections who is in charge of that whole Assembly constituency .He is virtually the ruler of that area fusing in himself the roles of Badal ,KPS gill,Ponty Chadha and Gabbar Singh .
All officials--Civil Administration(SDM) Police (DSP,SHO) Revenue (Tehsildar,Patwaris) Development(BDO ) ,Food supply ,Welfare ,health ,education etc report directly to him and work acc to his diktats and not acc to law .There appointments and transfers are in his hand and they are mainly accountable to him and not to law or senior officers .
The main function of the Halka incharge is to ensure the complete dominance of his and Akali party over the area under his control .This include
1)Discriminating against political opponents
2) Benefitting himself and his cronies is his main function.
3) Control of legal and illegal resources of finance .
The main instrument in his hand to suppress the opposition and favour his own is the police. The jurisdiction of "thanas" have been changed to align with that of the "halka " .No case or FIR can be registered without the orders of the Halka Incharge .
Political opponents are implicated in false cases like IPC 326,NDPS,atrocities on Dalits etc .Blatantly supporting ruling party in Panchayat and Municipal elections and forcibly humiliating political opponents in Thanas ,forcing them to change sides has become one of the chief occupation of police .
At the same time ruling party activists and supporters can get away with anything including land grabbing,Fraud,Drug trading,robbery etc . In reality it is the Halka Incharge and not the concerned DSP and SSP who is the main police officer of the area .
Halka incharge and his team comprising Sarpanches,party officials,kin and other lackeys operate like Mafia with him as the Dawood like boss of the enterprise .Most illegal activities in his area --land grabbing,sand mining,drug trade,gambling,illegal liquor etc take place under his direct patronage with cuts for him on all such deals .Corrupt and Criminal SHO's ,DSP's are also active part of this mafia .
Another source of profit and revenue for the Halka incharge is the "monthly" he receives from officials appointed on lucrative posts --SHO's ,Tehsildars,BDO's etc .This arrangement ensures that corruption and mis governance is rampant and bribes have to be paid by people for most government services .
Many Halka incharge also sells posts like "Sarpanches" ,"Municipal Councillors" ,"Market Committee Chairmans" etc to the highest bidder and ensuring their success through manipulation ,nomination rejection of opponents,booth capturing etc .
All development and welfare works are routed through him .Laying paved streets,concrete roads,provision of grants ,provision of atta dal,pensions ,MNREGA work etc is mainly for Akali areas and supporters and implemented through Akali local leaders .Discrimination against opposite party strongholds and a "cut " in most grants to the halka incharge are part and parcel of all development works .
The worst "Halka Incharges" are generally found in the border belt of Punjab --Gurdaspur,Amritsar,Tarn Tarn,Ferozepur etc where a combination of poverty,drug addiction,misery ,illiteracy and lack of organisation amongst the common people ensure the rule of UP-Bihar type of brutal politicians,mafia and corrupt officials
All this runs counter to the modern expectation of democratic politics and governance acc to which all citizens should be treated equal by law ,governance should be transparent ,accountable and corruption free and public representatives should be servants of the people .
This system of Halka incharge is based on the feudl-corporate Sukhbir philosophy which believes that the only way to control and politically subjugate the people of Punjab through a policy of "money and ruthlessness " .It is based on the notion that the people of punjab can be bought and subjugated by use of money and muscle power .
Based on extreme pragmatism and induction whole scale of "moneybags" ,"criminals" and "opportunists" into the party ,this policy has led to whole scale desertion and alienation of taksali jathedars from the party and erosion of the traditional vote bank of the party --rural ,jatt sikh from It .
This rebellion of its core vote bank which had stood with it in thick and thin through almost a century ever since the Gurudwara Reform movement in the 1920s was manifest in the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 as well as the large scale revolt against the ruling party in October 2015 in the anti Akali upsurge after incidences of desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib .
"Halka incharges " in a way takes Punjab back to the medieval age of "Jagirdars" ,"Lawlessness" and "Might is Right" .An 18th century approach to governance using 21st century instruments.History in back gear.
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