‘Backbone of economy’: Industry leaders urge Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to act as migrants face hostility after Hoshiarpur murder

‘Conspiracy to destroy Punjab’

In a letter addressed to the chief minister, Badish Jindal, Ludhiana-based industrialist and president of the World MSME Forum, said that over 18 lakh migrant workers form the “backbone of Punjab’s industries, farms, shops and households”.

“Today, 80 per cent of unskilled labourers in Punjab’s industries are migrants. In Ludhiana alone, around 8 lakh migrant workers are employed in factories. They also carry out most of the sowing and harvesting work in agriculture. Punjab’s economy is progressing because of their contribution,” Jindal wrote.

Jindal cautioned that if migrant workers are forced out of the state, industries and businesses will come to a standstill, while Punjab’s relations with other states and even exports from ports in other states could be adversely affected. “This is a conspiracy to destroy Punjab. India is a federal country, and no state can expel citizens of other states,” he added, urging the government to strictly discourage anti-migrant sentiments.

His appeal comes at a time when village panchayats in districts like Hoshiarpur, Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib and Mohali have passed resolutions restricting the stay of migrants in villages, directing that migrant farm labourers should live in tubewell rooms in fields instead. These resolutions also include denying residence certificates, Aadhaar or voter cards, and even imposing bans on renting houses or marrying local Punjabis.

Even as the Hoshiarpur murder sparked anger in surrounding villages, local bodies cited law and order concerns, cultural friction, and economic pressure as reasons for the measures they have initiated.

The state government has, meanwhile, cautioned against taking discriminatory steps. On Tuesday, Bhagwant Mann condemned the Hoshiarpur incident, but reminded that all Indians have the right to live and work anywhere in the country.

Legal experts have also flagged the panchayat resolutions as unconstitutional. Still, the growing hostility has already led to flashpoints. Unidentified persons threatened street vendors selling fruits, snacks, and juices in Ludhiana’s Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar on Tuesday, asking them to return to their native states. The police had to intervene to prevent escalation. Similar incidents have been reported in Bathinda too.

‘Fight should be against crime, not migrants’

T R Mishra, a reputed Ludhiana-based industrialist and chairman of the Poorvanchal Vikas Parishad, said, “I came from Uttar Pradesh to Punjab in my teens during the 1960s, laboured hard as a worker, and today I am an industrialist. I have also helped many entrepreneurs set up their units. So I feel the fight should be against crime, not against people of one or two states.”

“Generalising every native of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar after one or two stray incidents is not justified. Punjabis too work in different parts of the country. Today, Punjab’s industry and agriculture are largely dependent on the workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. We met Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Rajinderpal Kaur Chhina and Cabinet minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, who ensured the safety of migrants in the state. We welcome the Punjab CM’s statement too,” he said.

Mishra, however, added, “Action needs to be taken against the criminals, whoever they are.”

With migrant workers critical to Punjab’s agriculture, construction and industrial base, industry representatives warned that hostility could trigger labour shortages and damage the state’s reputation as an investment hub. “Punjab now faces the challenge of balancing the safety concerns of villagers with the need to protect the rights and livelihoods of millions of migrant workers,” Mishra said.

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