Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, November 24: The Sadbhavna rally organized by Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal has proved to be Game & history changer by the way the party has made its assertion with the rejection of radical tendencies that have started raising their head again thereby raising the apprehensions of Punjab sliding back to the militancy days. The Sadbhavna rally is the biggest democratic weapon against these forces. This assertion must continue in the coming days as the issue concerns the future of this once the most prosperous state that has been on the path of recovery for some time. The next Sadhbhavna rally is to be organized at Moga on November 28.
The state witnessed mass outrage over series of incidents of sacrilege of religious scriptures that seems to be part of some deeper conspiracy to provoke communal passions. However, while these forces failed in their nefarious design, what was needed was involving the masses in maintaining amity and communal harmony, the philosophy that is at the very core of the Sikh religion.
The Sadhbhavna rally has to be seen in the framework of the Sikh gathering that was claimed to be Sarbat Khalsa by its organisers who had once been known faces during terrorism. The cat was out of the big when Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann claimed a couple of days later that it was a congregation organized by the Khalistanis and this character of this gathering was well known to all. He made this comment with reference to the participation in it by Congress leaders including Sukhjinder Singh Lally Majithia and party’s Kisan wing chairman Inderjit Singh Zira.
An audio recording of Lally Majithia and another Congress leader Harminder Gill discussing this Sikh congregation and the support they extended while in conversation with some organisers went viral exposing the broader design and re-play of the same old design witnessed in Punjab during terrorism. The Congress had played a dirty role at that time too.
Both Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir made it clear that they would not allow Punjab to slide back. This message was much needed in view of the outcome of the Sarbat Khalsa in which Jagtar Singh Hawara, presently under detention in the case of assassination of chief minister Beant Singh was “appointed” as the Akal Takht jathedar. Dhian Singh Mand was appointed as the acting Akal Takht Jathedar in his place. However, people like Mand have been brought out from the shadows. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989 but vanished from the political landscape in the wake of his incapacity to make any contribution. The organisers gave the impression that there is little choice with the progressive Sikh community for appointment to the high offices. Not that these appointments matter as this authority vests with the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. However, the forces active behind the conspiracy were trying to play the big mischief again and the Sadhavna rally has succeeded in frustrating such designs.
Punjab must continue on the path of development for which maintaining congenial atmosphere and harmonious conditions are a pre-condition. This is where Sukhbir has taken the much needed bold step…www.punjabupdate.com
