A Window To Perceptive Journalism

Dusty malwa ricochets as a loose cannon Jagmeet Brar takes upon gunman Zora 

Sukhbir transcends panth
to embrace secular idiom

S P Singh

BATTLES Titanic are now playing to full houses across the Malwa heartland – in Faridkot, legacy holder of  the top Akali, seasoned in politics for over a half-century, versus a Congress greenhorn from a family living along sidelines of Malwa politics; and in Ferozepur, Congress' oratorial voice ranged against Akali muscleman. 

With little in the name of issues actually making it to Malwa's political agenda, campaigning has been reduced only to establishing contact, getting party workers to fan out and reach across to the voter, raise a lot of din in the streets, splash posters of leaders with feelgood-smile pasted on faces, and prepare for that last crucial and inevitable round - money, liquor and narcotics flowing freely. 

In Faridkot, Sukhbir Singh Badal is facing, instead of his traditional rival Jagmit Singh Brar, former Chief Minister H.S. Brar's daughter-in-law Karan Brar while Jagmit has shifted to Ferozepur to take upon Zora Singh Mann of Akali Dal. 

Nothing perhaps contrasts better than the Congress' campaign in the two adjoining constituencies. While Jagmit, overcoming the 'outsider' charges, has succeeded in managing to get going a high-pitched campaign revolving around his own persona with virtually no reference to successes or failure of Amarinder government,  Karan Brar is still keeping her campaign low profile, as a not very enthusiastic Congress party machinery waits for her to quicken the pace before it joins in the effort. 

Most noticeable in Sukhbir Badal's campaign is the unsaid part of Akali juggernaut - a complete divorce of his campaign from the Shiromani Akali Dal's patented line of being legitimate representative of Sikhs. With the 2004 bid of Sukhbir to enter the hallowed portals of Parliament has come about a complete 'secularisation' of  the premier family of community leader Badals.

In the huge slickly produced hoardings, from the circular stickers splashed on rears of cars, and on the little badges, Sukhbir's face stares out with its Punjabisation writ large. 'Panth' is one word not heard throughout the SAD campaign here; instead there's a surfeit of 'Punjab Da Putt, Punjabian Da Veer,Vikas Da Premi, Saada Sukhbir'. Another slogan goes ‘Punjab Mahan, Takrri Nishan’. Obviously, impressed by Shining India, Akalis are Feeling Good with dumping the 'Panth in Danger' line in favour of  'Punjab, Vikas and Us.' 

Missing even is any reference of Amarinder regime's interference in SGPC a year-and-a-half ago, as is missing any reference to someone who went missing just before the campaign took off – Gurcharan Singh 'Tohra. Congress campaign in Faridkot as well as Ferozepur has made its own choice of what must not be seen, heard or spoken about: Not even one vehicle or poster in Congress campaign has the face of party's state chief H.S.Hanspal. 

Jagmit's entire campaign is individual-centric, with tens of vehicles carrying hoardings of a huge facade of Parliament and Jagmit in the foreground.

"Punjab's strongest voice in the highest panchayat of the nation, raised by Jag-Da-Mit (Friend of all)," scream these posters. It's a different matter the noise about contribution in Parliament is not a pitch that will suit other Congress candidates. But then, this is quintessential Jagmit, making a point in spite of the party rather than because of it. 

While followers of Sukhbir claimed Karan was a lightweight and Faridkot a walkover – Karan's supporters ask you to wait till tempo quickens – Zora Singh Mann's backers are conceding that Jagmit has made a fight out of it. "Congress has fielded its loose cannon against our Gunman, and we won't be taking any chances,” said a senior Akali leader in Ferozepur.■  

April 22, 2004

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