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Punjab : The Sikh agenda |
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Punjab is one of the two States along with Gujarat that will go the polls next year after the UP Assembly has been elected. The State is presently ruled by the Akali Dal which is an alliance with the BJP both at the State as well as in Centre.
Return of Khalistanis
Lately there have been certain developments that could have a bearing on the prospects of various political parties in the State when elections do take place. The most important of these developments is the return of some former proponents of the independent State of Punjab known as Khalistan. Most recently, Jagjit Singh Chauhan is planning to return to the State. The dreaded militant Wasan Singh Jaffarwal has already returned and many more are rumoured to be trying to return. This would obviously generate much heat and interest in Punjab politics.
Jagjit Singh Chauhan was once a Finance Minister in the Lachhman Singh Gill regime in the late 1960s. He hit the headlines in the late 70s and early 80s for propagating the cause of Khalistan. He hoisted the flag of Khalistan at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab and also minted Khalistani currency abroad. But while giving face to the idea of Khalistan, he managed to stay clear of the law. Now that he is trying to return, Chauhan continues to maintain that he is wedded to the idea of Khalistan, but is against violence and is not for isolating Hindus and Sikhs.
Analysts see some pattern in the return of those who only a few years ago preached separatism and vengeance. According to them, after four years of listless rule, Chief Minister Badal wants to consolidate every vote bank possible, and after witnessing the anti-incumbency factor working in States that went to the polls recently, he certainly does not want to loose the radical vote bank. Besides this is the vote bank that his rival Gurcharan Singh Tohra is also trying to woo. The return of Zaffarwal and Chauhan is part of the attempt to hijack the radical Sikh agenda.
CM takes up Sikh issues with PM
Proprietary rights for land allotted to Sikh refugees in Uttar Pradesh after the 1947 Partition, the rehabilitation of Sikh Army deserters of 1984, the appointment of a Sikh as Chairman of the UP Minorities Commission and better management of Sikh shrines and their property in Pakistan were the major issues on the agenda when Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal called on Prime Minister Vajpayee in New Delhi on June 1.
Mr. Badal reportedly pressed for a better deal for Punjabi youth in Army recruitment. He wanted a positive commitment on an amendment to Army recruitment rules which at present limit the intake to the ratio of the total population of a state to its strength of able-bodied recruitable persons. Mr Badal also pressed for the restoration of the old recruitment policy to which the Prime Minister promised sympathetic consideration.
Another important issue raised by the Chief Minister was the rehabilitation of Sikh Army deserters who left their barracks in protest against Operation Bluestar because their religious sentiments were hurt. Mr Vajpayee wanted Mr. Badal to spell out a scheme as to how they could be rehabilitated.
Mr Badal pleaded the case of Sikh settlers in Uttar Pradesh who were allotted barren land on a lease basis at the time of Partition. The Sikh farmers with their hard work have developed these barren pieces of land and made them fertile. The Chief Minister wanted these farmers to be conferred proprietary rights of the land allotted to them.
The Chief Minister also wanted the Prime Minister’s intervention in finishing the black list of Sikhs outside India. Earlier, he had discussed the issue with the Union Home Minister, maintaining that normalcy had come to stay in Punjab and some people who felt hurt because of Operation Bluestar were not involved in any criminal activity and need not be refused permission to visit their motherland. The Prime Minister, it is learnt, assured Mr. Badal that the list would be reviewed with an intention to discontinue the practice of blacklisting people.
The Punjab Chief Minister had a long agenda for Mr Vajpayee to take up with Gen. Musharraf. The prime and most important being access to more Sikh shrines and historic places. At present, the access is limited to a few historic gurdwaras, including Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Gurdwara Sacha Sauda and a few others.
For the “kar seva” of Sikh shrines and other historic buildings, which are in a dilapidated condition, the Punjab Chief Minister proposed that the Pakistan Government be requested to allow Baba Harbans Singh (Delhi) of Kar sewawale to visit Pakistan with a team of experts and undertake “kar seva” there. The funds needed for repair , upkeep and maintenance of Sikh shrines, he said, would come as contribution from Sikhs all over the world.
Another issue raised was permission for more SGPC workers to remain in historic shrines for conducting regular ceremonies and chores. The Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee want that some priests of the SGPC be allowed to be sent there on a regular basis for routine religious ceremonies in the historic gurdwaras as per the Sikh maryada (tradition).
Since large property is attached to most of the Sikh shrines in Pakistan, the Punjab Chief Minister wanted Mr Vajpayee to discuss with Gen. Musharraf that such property should be properly maintained and income accrued from thereof should be spent on maintenance and upkeep of shrines. There were reports that property was being usurped by the Waqf Board.
The issue of inadequate accommodation in Sikh gurdwaras in Pakistan was also taken up by Mr Badal with Mr Vajpayee. At the time of both the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak and Baisakhi, the Sikh jatha comprises 10,000 pilgrims each. None of the gurdwaras can accommodate so many pilgrims. The Punjab Chief Minister wanted that the Pakistan Government be requested to provide additional accommodation for the comfortable stay of Sikh pilgrims during their visit to Pakistan.
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