A Window To Perceptive Journalism

Of mega debates spread over 100-acres raillas

S P Singh

PUNJAB'S DUSTY MALWA: Mega is a key word these days in Punjab. Mega projects, mega corruption and now mega rallies. With political debate dying a mega death and polity reduced to getting together mega crowds, Punjab witnessed this past week politicians discussing from megaphones the rally in terms of acres of land covered by make-shift canopies, or the number of buses that came from a particular town. The ruling Congress and the opposition Akali Dal both made claims of a million men march, and each said the victory was assured. 

The debate of course was not just defeated, but altogether killed. 

Malwa's drinking water is killing its people, many villages are returning legendary figures of cancer, female foeticide is threatening to tear apart the society, its lands are parched near the tail-ends of little water brooks, ground water table is plunging fast and cases of HIV are on the rise. Everything is going in the wrong direction, but the people were told by the Congress how much of the wonderful development has happened under Chief Minister Amarinder Singh while the Akalis narrated how they will bring about heaven to the door step of the poor." 

Ironically, both sides were marking the birthday of same man, Prakash Singh Badal, who wants to dislodge Amarinder Singh from Chief Ministership for the most innocent reason that he himself wants to bring about mega development.  

Akalis talked about food for the poor: Atta for Rs 4 per kg, dal for Rs 20 per kg. New health insurance scheme. Doubling free power to dalits. More in shagun schemes, more as old age pension. 

This is the taste of things to come. Debate on the Akali side hasn't moved beyond populist programs, and Congress' plans haven't moved beyond getting lands from farmers to be given to industrialists. Punjab is in for some mega troubles.  

Congress set a new precedent by holding the jamboree right inside Badal's heartland -- the village Badal. "We wanted to celebrate his birthday," was Amarinder Singh's oh-so-innocent reason. Badal of course had plans to hold the b'day mela at Ajitwal in Moga.  

Progress was clearly visible, if only you would stop looking at the people and raise your vision higher. A mechanical hang glider showering paper buntings upon the Congress' crowd, a Sukhbir Singh Badal surveying the crowds at the rival rally from a helicopter, the Youth Akali Dal presenting a Rs 2.5 crore cheque to Badal, (anyone who thought sonny Sukhbir presenting a cheque to papa Badal could allude to nepotism in party should go read Adam Bellow), a TV channel closely identified with the Congress beaming live coverage of the rally with unabashedly sycophantic commentary to boot., thousands of private vehicles commandeered to ferry people to the rallies. And Punjab's cultural program presenters like Pammi Bai adding to the color. "'Nahi reesan mere Punjab diyan' (There is no place like Punjab)," he said. There wasn't on December 8. 

The political platter was so arranged that the media pundits could call it "Badal's charisma" or "Amarinder's crowd pulling power" as per their convenience. "Amarinder has carried the battle into Badal's bastion" could be a pedestrian predictable headline that any Charlie-turned-subeditor would give and any self-respecting editor would strike off. Many turned Charlies last week. No one struck it off. 

Charges were traded and allegations leveled freely. Both sides were sizing each other up before the final showdown, the Assembly polls. Akali Dal had lined up former Prime Ministerial wonder I K Gujral (Didn’t everyone wonder when he became PM?), future prime ministerial hopeful L.K.Advani (he makes loh purash suddenly sound iron-ical), the recently anointed icon of morality among youthful leadership Navjot Singh Sidhu, paragon of intellectual leadership and honesty in public life Om Prakash Chautala and ‘guess all-no prizes’ heir apparent Sukhbir Singh Badal. BJP president Rajnath Singh seemed tagged with ‘also participated’ but someone has to fill in that slot for the scribes in any case.  

The Hon’ble CM was being described a lahoo-peena (blood sucking) while the thrice-CM and ‘Respected Leader of the Opposition’ was addressed as corrupt leader of goondas and luteras. Who knows who is right? May be both are. Media reported that the stage at many moments seemed like giving way. Both have often challenged each other for an open public debate from the same stage. At what stage will that be possible? Pillars of civil society in Punjab watch from the sidelines as the mega show continues. “Yeh rally nahi, yeh railla hai,” Advani thundered at Ajitwal, yielding a quote no Charlie missed. Malwa’s contribution to Punjab polity will go down as a masculine semantic addition to our culture – Mega Public Raillas! ■

December 8, 2006

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