Speaking to SBS Punjabi this week, Resident Editor of the Chandigarh edition of Hindustan Times Ramesh Vinayak explains the influence of religious issues and institutions on Punjab politics.
"The Shiromani Akali Dal has always been the party of choice for Sikh voters and has been long regarded as the party that embodies Sikh thought. But there is a very strong anti- Akali sentiment in the Malwa region because of repeated incidents of desecration of the holy Guru Granth Sahib. People blame the Akali government for doing very little at the time to prevent those incidents, and also for the inaction thereafter, because the perpetrators were never brought to justice."
"So for the very first time in Punjab, the traditional Panthic voters have turned their backs on the Akalis."
Realising that it had lost the support of the Sikh voters, SAD reached out to many Deras and cut deals with them just a week before Punjab went to the polls on Feb 4. The biggest bloc that SAD managed to get on side was the controversial Dera Sacha Sauda, whose leader Ram Rahim then passed an edict to all his followers to vote for the Akalis. Similarly, other religious groups were brought on board by SAD - some openly, and some clandestinely. Personally, I don't believe that the alliance with Dera Sacha Sauda will give any political advantage to SAD.
Hear full interview with Mr Ramesh Vinayak:
I think this deal with Dera Sacha Sauda, can prove to be a monumental blunder - not just for the Akalis, but for the future of Punjab. This is the same Dera that the Akal Takhat has passed a hukamnama against, forbidding Sikhs to have any dealings with it. For SAD, the so-called peak political party of the Sikhs, to form an alliance with this Dera, can have extremely dire consequences for the communal peace and harmony of Punjab.
On the other hand, many right wing Sikh parties have openly supported Aam Admi party, in an effort to ensure that SAD loses these elections. Even AAP has sought to capitalise on the anti-Akali sentiment, especially in areas where the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib was a major issue. That is why even AAP has actively sought the support of disaffected religious groups and parties, who share mutual animosity with Deras and other breakaway sects. And this is the real issue for Punjab - the polarisation is very visible and whoever forms government on March 11 will face the severe challenge of maintaining communal harmony in the state.
The major parties in the fray in Punjab Source: Supplied
In worrying signs already, we have seen an increase in the number of targeted killings and assassinations in Punjab over the last two years or so. Police and authorities still don't have a clue about who carried those out. Just before the voting on Feb 4, there was an attempted assassination of a Congress candidate ( who is also related to the head of Dera Sacha Sauda), at Maur Mandi. And just last weekend, two Dera workers were killed in Ludhiana, bringing the internecine fighting between these religious groups to the fore. This is a major threat to the peace and stability of Punjab.
There is a crisis looming in Punjab, regardless of who forms government on March 11. The biggest challenge for the new government would be to ensure that the culture of violence doesn't gain any further ground, and the second big challenge will be resolving the water dispute - Punjab has been ordered to build the Satluj Yamuna Link and all parties in Punjab are ideologically against it.
In the lead up to the counting of votes on March 11, Mr Ramesh Vinayak is providing expert analysis of various issues that may influence the outcome of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections 2017. Above, we have provided a summary of his latest interview with SBS Punjabi -to listen to the full interview, please click on the audio link above. The views expressed here are those of Mr Ramesh Vinayak, not of SBS's.
Mr Ramesh Vinayak, RE Hindustan Times, Chandigarh Source: Supplied
Related articles and interviews
Phoolka AAP's best bet in cliffhanger Punjab election
