Congmen use, Akalis abuse Sikh PM

Even in his absence PM Manmohan Singh has become a major election issue in Punjab.
“This is not a vote for me, but for a Sikh PM” is a common refrain of Congress candidates in the state, whereas Akali Dal-BJP nominees have been unfailingly drumbeating that “Manmohan Singh has done nothing for Sikhs”.

It all began when AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, during his visit to Bathinda early this month, proclaimed the PM “sher-e-Punjab” (Lion of Punjab) and recalled his association with the state in partition days.

Taking a cue, Congress candidates have since been wooing voters in the name of the Sikh PM, saying in unambiguous terms that if people were keen to see Manmohan in the seat of power in Delhi, they should ensure their victory.

Senior BJP leader Balbir Punj was quick to dismiss the PM as a “circus lion”, but the Akalis are worried.

Fearing that the Congress ploy might eat into the traditional Sikh vote bank of the Akalis, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar went overboard last week, saying the PM might be a “true Sikh” but he had done nothing for Sikhs and Sikhism.

Makkar said Manmohan as PM did little to redress grievances of the anti-Sikh riot victims. “He did not bother to ensure justice to the victims, though he had first-hand account of the Delhi riots in November 1984 after the assassination of then PM Indira Gandhi.” He squarely blamed the PM for allowing the Congress to allot tickets to Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, who, he said, were responsible for engineering the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.

The SGPC president said the Congress should refrain from using the words ‘vote for a Sikh PM’ because Manmohan was “good for nothing” so far as demands of the Sikh community were concerned. He said during his meetings with Manmohan, he submitted many memoranda enlisting the demands of the Sikh community, “but he did not bother to even read them”.

There is a strong apprehension among Akali Dal-BJP leaders that Manmohan’s image might sway at least the urban Sikh voters towards the Congress.

In fact, Congress candidates such as Parneet Kaur (Patiala) and Raninder Singh (Bathinda) have been urging voters to pose questions to chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir why had they directed Akali Dal MPs to vote against Manmohan during a confidence motion in the Lok Sabha a few months ago?

Do you want LK Advani or Dr Manmohan Singh as PM?” this is the question often posed to people by Congress leaders at election rallies in an apparent bid to attract Sikhs towards their party.

Congress candidates are listing Manmohan’s various contributions to the Sikh cause, which include development projects for the Golden Temple and Nanded Sahib in Maharashtra.

Already, Delhi Akali Dal president Paramjit Singh Sarna is campaigning in support of Manmohan in the state. Even Manjit Singh Calcutta, former minister and secretary of the SGPC, has started canvassing for Congress candidates. On Sunday, Calcutta addressed a rally in support of the Congress candidate at Wadala Bangar village in the Gurdaspur constituency.

When reminded Parkash Singh Badal and his confidant Bikram Singh Majithia had asked him to stay in the Akali Dal, Calcutta said Badal was for Advani as PM and that was not acceptable to him as he was all for Manmohan.

He said: “Manmohan was made PM by the Congress on merit because he is intelligent and honest.”