A silent IAS association, and a tale of two Aroras in Punjab

In a service that prizes hierarchy and esprit de corps, silence can speak louder than slogans. The question echoing through Punjab’s corridors of power is when the cadre needs its collective voice, who decides when it should speak and when it should not?

Bajwa’s barfi for AAP activists

Punjab politics saw a sweet twist this week, literally. Senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa, facing protests from AAP MLAs over his allegedly derogatory remarks against cabinet minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, decided to fight dissent with barfi. Bajwa is learnt to have arranged a few kilos of the sugary treat to serve the AAP activists who had planned a dharna outside his Sector 8 residence in Chandigarh. Unfortunately for them, the sweetness remained symbolic as the UT police did not allow the protestors near his home.

The protests were sparked by Bajwa’s comment, perceived as casteist and demeaning to ETO’s modest background as a band-master. AAP ministers and workers demanded an apology, organising sit-ins, slogans, and even symbolic ‘band-baja’ music outside MLA hostel, where they held a protest. The Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission also took notice, summoning Bajwa for clarification. In the end, the barfi remained untasted, but the political flavour was unmistakably spicy.

ED’s hide and seek

It was indeed a charged mix of legal action and political maneuvering as former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh found himself at the center of a fresh storm after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned him and his son Raninder Singh in a long‑running FEMA probe. The timing was politically loaded, coming shortly after Amarinder publicly remarked that the BJP was not like Congress, hinting at dissatisfaction with his role within the party. He had stated that he “finds the BJP rigid in its approach, even as the Congress party is more flexible and has a consultative outlook.”

Seizing the opportunity, soon after the ED summons, Congress general secretary Bhupesh Baghel suggested the party could “think of” taking Amarinder back into its fold. This sent the TV channels into an overdrive to announce that Amarinder may be warming up to Congress. Amarinder’s daughter, Jaya Inder Kaur had to promptly dispel such notions. She reaffirmed her father’s loyalty to the BJP. Adding another twist, the ED officer who issued the summons was transferred to Chennai.

Power(full/less) Aroras

Aman Arora, AAP’s Punjab state president, increasingly seems a powerless figure in both governance and party affairs. While fellow Arora, Sanjeev Arora, has been entrusted with significant portfolios of local bodies, industry, investment promotion and power, Aman Arora has been limited to departments like new and renewable energy, governance reforms, and employment generation. His Cabinet influence is minimal, but the restrictions extend beyond government. Even as party president, his authority is curtailed.

With Delhi leaders such as Manish Sisodia appointed as in-charge of Punjab, Aman Arora’s once visible street activism has given way to sporadic appearances in party matters. Despite holding the top state post, his role is more symbolic than operational. The contrast between his limited portfolio and his title underscores a larger dynamic. In Punjab AAP, real power appears to lie elsewhere, leaving Aman Arora largely sidelined, struggling to translate his titular leadership into tangible authority or influence.