Punjab polls – Let things be pure political :: Pak-nexus angle is dangerous
New Delhi:
This is a piece to be taken as a voice crying in the wilderness. No, my worries are not whether Navjot Singh Sidhu will continue as Punjab Congress chief or not.
I am also not really concerned about what would happen to the Congress party – about whose leader Rahul Gandhi, ‘Time’ magazine had commented in 2019 – “an unteachable mediocrity and a descendant of Nehru”.
I get the most discouraging if not depressing feeling that the country is heading towards Punjab elections with debate on whether one or a few state politicians are pro-Pakistanis. This has a dangerous connotation.
There is a big dilemma about democracy. Had the man been more intelligent, he would have known how to conduct correctly, and if God had made man or woman less intelligent, he/she would have been more disciplined and thus easier to govern or control. But we have to face life and politicians as they are.
Even freedom as an achievement or a virtue cannot be absolute. One man’s hero on Election Day is another man’s
villain. One man’s freedom fighter is another man's terrorist.
Punjab has seen very ugly face of terrorism. Of course, most of it was Pakistan-instigated.
Islamabad must be waiting in the wings to take the revenge of Bangladesh. In Kashmir, all its investment
for years was virtually negated on August 5, 2019.
The situations in Punjab were ‘controlled’ by Indian leaders and police long back. But some of the risk factors are still around.
Legendary Nani Palkhivala once wrote – “The most under-developed territory in every continent on earth is situated between human ears”.
Here lies the problem. I will not take the risk of even suggesting that our Neta class does not have brains, or it is ‘under developed’.
The problem is they have it ‘more developed’ and they can abuse it to suit their agenda.
Even the past problem in Punjab has been attributed to tussle between President Zail Singh and former Punjab Chief Minister Darbara Singh.
People in Punjab and also elsewhere are these days talking about a new book ‘In the Service of Free India’.
It is supposed to be the memoirs of a former Punjab Governor B D Pande, now deceased.
His daughter Ratna M Sudarshan has now edited the volume and got it published. B D Pande breathed his last in 2009 at the age of 92.
He had understandably instructed his family to publish these memoirs at least five years after his death. Now it is 11 years since 2009.
The book also refers to Indira Gandhi's 'intolerance' to the Akalis.
The book would generate more because of the ongoing political drama in the state.
Capt Amarinder Singh has unhesitatingly called Navjot Singh Sidhu – a pro-Imran Khan if not pro-Pakistan especially for the embrace of General Javed Bajwa.
Interesting part is there was later an attempt to explain that the ‘embrace’ was a symbol of mutual admiration and expectations about the Kartarpur Corridor.
Now, the Kartarpur Corridor too has a story for Imran Khan and the Pakistan government. The November 9th, 2019 was slated for the inauguration. Things were planned accordingly, and Pakistan had presumed to project the day as their ‘tolerance’ day – for the global media - as a country which throws up equal opportunities to religious minorities.
The hurdle came around 2000 hours on Nov 8, 2019 when it was announced that the Supreme Court of India would deliver the verdict on the Ayodhya dispute between Muslims and Hindus. Obviously, the next day’s entire media attention in India, in Asia, in Pakistan and also in the rest of the world was the then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi-led bench’s orders.
Pakistan lost it out badly in the ‘publicity’ blitzkrieg it had thought.
Worse, they did not know whom to blame – Narendra Modi, India’s RAW, Justice Gogoi or Lord Ram himself.
But they have had their eyes in Punjab and ‘reviving’ of troubles do suit them or their agenda. This makes India’s elections in Punjab in 2022 critical. It should be free of violence and even rhetoric should be confined to development and other political tamashas.
One sincerely hopes, nothing should be done during elections and even after that could foment some communal troubles in the state.
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say: “Najane kiski Nazar lag gayi hamare Punjab ko (We are sad that someone’s evil eyes have focused on our Punjab)”.
My plea would be more humble – “buri nazar se bachaiye hamarey Punjab ko (Please save Punjab from any bad omen)”.
It’s true Captain Amarinder Singh has not raised the Pakistan bogey only after he has been shown the door. In November 2019, the then Punjab Chief Minister had cautioned that India “will have to be careful” while moving ahead on Kartarpur.
“I have been maintaining for long that Pakistan has a hidden agenda,” he had said adding, “On one hand, they will first show us love and on the other, they can try to foment trouble”. Now Capt Amarinder says Sidhu does not have the maturity to run a show in a border state.
It is also a fact that Pakistan has played these tricks in the past. The ‘Lahore Bus’ drive by Vajpayee was reciprocated with Kargil and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lahore visit to greet Nawaz Sharif on his birthday in 2015 was returned with Pathankot and also Uri about nine months later.
If these pre-election months and weeks are misused, or we show some indifference to the real threat of communal disharmony and separatism, generations may have to pay the price of the error.
ends
Now, Capt Amarinder meets NSA: Issues cannot be political
New Delhi: In what is seen as more than just politics or mundane governmental issues,former Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh on Thursday, Sept 30, held a closed door meeting with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.
Capt Amarinder had been talking about Pakistan's ill intentions in Punjab and had called for adequate guard against Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu showing open admiration for Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and army chief Gen Javed Bajwa.
After landing in Delhi on Tuesday, the 'ousted' Punjab Chief Minister had denied any plans to meet with BJP leaders, and had said that he was in the capital to vacate the Kapurthala House for new Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
However, he held discussions of farmers' stir with Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday and thus the meeting with NSA Doval has a significance of its own.
However, the meeting between NSA and former Punjab Chief Minister "does not have any political significance, and it would be purely related to security and strategic issues".
Even in 2019 November on the eve of inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor, Capt Amarinderhad cautioned that India “will have to be careful” while moving ahead on Kartarpur.
“I have been maintaining for a long time that Pakistan has a hidden agenda,” he had said adding, “On one hand, they will first show us love and on the other, they can try to foment trouble”.
Lately, Capt Amarinder has said Sidhu does not have the maturity to run a show in a border state.
Even after Sidhu tendered his resignation as Punjab Congress chief on Tuesday, the former ChiefMinister tweeted: "I told you so…he is not a stable man and not fit for the border state of punjab".
It is also a fact that Pakistan has played its dirty tricks in the past. The ‘Lahore Bus’ drive by PM AtalBihari Vajpayee was reciprocated with Kargil in 1999 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lahore visit to greet Nawaz Sharif on his birthday in 2015 was returned with Pathankot and also Uri about nine months later.
BJP Punjab in charge Dushyant Gautam has said that no political discussions took place with Capt Amarinderbut the BJP “always welcomes a nationalist in the party”.
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