According to ASSOCHAM, the road blockade is costing the economy Rs 3,500 crore every day. It is a massive setback for the economy recovering from the disruption caused by COVID-19. Not only this, the toll revenue loss in Punjab every day is around Rs 3 crore, adversely affecting the viability of the road construction and maintenance for years to come.
However, the worst lawlessness was seen in Punjab when protestors started attacking and vandalizing telecom towers. According to the latest numbers, some 1500 towers have been damaged by the protestors. Apart from causing economic loss to the telecom companies, it has disrupted the flow of information, education, and business in these regions when more & more economic activities rely on mobile and internet connectivity.
However, the greater cause of worry is that such vandalism is aimed at inflicting costs on private companies. It is the direct result of the years of hatemongering against private enterprise in the country encouraged by politicians and a section of left-wing media. The intense demonizing of corporates and glorification of agrarianism threatens to push India back into the dark socialist days of the 60s and the 70s when Indian economic growth tanked with untold miseries suffered by the masses. By its very nature, agrarianism breeds Luddite tendencies that are now on full display in Punjab.
