Punjab politics at the cross roads

By Sarabjit Pandher

CHANDIGARH, MAY 20. Politics in Punjab, which seems to be in a perpetual state of flux, has once again reached the crossroads. While the Rashtriya Swaymsewak Sangh (RSS) has initiated a process to freeze the Sikh religion in history, the right-wing radicals have been successful in getting support from the Akal Takht to stress the need to institutionalise the process of evolution of the ``world's youngest religion''.

In the post-militancy phase the RSS realised that if it had to confront the radical politics in Punjab, it must own up Sikhism, which can be accepted as a hegemonistic approach. But for the RSS it could also blunt the flak on being communally divisive, as was apparent from its stance regarding Christianity and Islam. The recent initiatives by its affiliate, the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, especially in Punjab's countryside, seem to have been targeted to present the RSS as an ``integrative force''.Reacting to this, the right wing radicals in Sikh politics succeeded in roping in the support of the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, the supreme spiritual, religious and temporal seat of the community. The acting Jathedar, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, on Monday last through an edict supported the exclusive and separate religious boundary for the Sikh community.

It is clear that the Akal Takht chief has favoured the demand to institutionalise the process of evolution of the Sikh religion. So far it has been confined to the religious sphere and has never negated the cultural and linguistic commonality with Hindus and Muslims of the region. Giani Vedanti, while cautioning the community regarding the ``sinister'' designs of ``anti-Panthic'' forces to create confusion about the ``unique and distinct'' identity of the Sikhs, directed the leadership of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to represent the case in the Constitutional review panel.

The situation is extraordinary as the Akali Dal is close to the RSS-BJP due to convergence of political and electoral exigencies, while the ideological positions seem to be untenable. The Akalis have always considered the Congress as their enemy number one as it is ``anti-Sikh'', especially in the backdrop of the events of 1984. But recent statements of the president of the Punjab PCC, Capt. Amrinder Singh, have echoed a significant point of view within the Akalis. He has supported the separate identity of the Sikhs.

In the series of developments falls the statement of the Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, who has favoured the release of Sikh youths locked up in jails for involvement in militancy- related activity. Analysts believe it carried the potential to fracture the forces propagating the exclusive identity of the Sikhs. Perhaps with this in mind the Akal Takht Jathedar avoided naming the BJP or the RSS as being the ``anti-Panthic'' forces, they argue.

The developments have posed a difficult situation for the SAD president, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, who as Chief Minister, has not been consistent in nurturing the development-driven agenda in politics and furthering the cause of the composite Punjabi identity.While it was being seen that Mr. Badal has aligned with the issue of Sikh identity, the urban Hindus and the liberal Sikhs began to drift away. Due to his manoeuvring the unceremonious removal of Mr. G. S. Tohra and Bhai Ranjit Singh, as president of the SGPC and Jathedar of the Akal Takht, respectively, Mr. Badal never enjoyed the acceptance from the radicals.

Mr. Badal, however, managed a major political recovery, depicted by the victory in the Nawanshahr assembly by-elections. But a major problem could be the stance adopted by the present SGPC president, Bibi Jagir Kaur, who during the crisis related to the implementation of the Nanakshahi calendar had sided with the forces favouring the exclusive identity of the Sikhs.

According to some thinkers, if Mr. Badal continues to support Bibi Jagir Kaur, the SAD may lose support from the BJP. Moreover, the new Jathedar, who was appointed by Bibi Jagir Kaur, through his stance has also weakened Mr. Badal's position. But, the ambivalence reflected by him during the removal of Giani Puran Singh, was indicative that Mr. Badal had realised it might strengthen the radical elements.

Watchers of Sikhs affairs point out that in the present situation Mr. Badal should be feeling the absence of Mr. Tohra, in pursuing the ``bridge politics'' in the Akali conglomerate, especially under similar circumstances.

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