HOSHIARPUR, Punjab—Terming the Modi wave as nothing but radicalization of Indian polity, the Dal Khalsa observed that the majority community has handed over the reigns of power to a person whose credentials, and approach towards minorities, is questionable.
The organization has called upon the religious and ethnic minorities to come closer, and get their act together if they want to secure and protect their lives, aspirations and national honor.
Dal Khalsa chief Harcharanjit Singh Dhami said they have no expectation for betterment of Sikhs and Punjab with the change in guard. Neither will the Sikh problem be solved, nor would the Sikh position change with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) replacing Congress at Center, claims Singh. The single advantage will go to Badals as their Bhau Harsimrat Kaur might be inducted in the Union Ministry.
“Both Congress and BJP are chips off the same block. Their viewpoint on struggling people, and their political aspirations are same. Both had a history of crushing dissent, massacring minorities, and denying rights. Both have acted as tools of the repression against Sikhs, and others,” he said.
Dal Khalsa has stayed away from elections, arguing that elections under Indian dispensation won’t solve Sikh problems.
In answer to a question as to why the electorate has not paid any heed to their groups boycott call, and instead voted in favor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Dhami admitted that Punjabis are fed up with Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) – BJP combine, and they were looking for workable alternative. Filing this void, the AAP penetrated intothe rank and file of Sikhs and Punjabis merely by raising its voice favoring justice for Prof Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, and Nov 1984 massacre as well as promising to make Punjab a corruption-free state.
It is in this context that Punjabis have shown generosity by doling out 4 seats to an untested party, under the illusion that it may turn up as their savior, and deliver justice to wounded community, he observed.
