Interviewed by Russian State TV, today...

So RT International (formerly Russia Today or Rossiya Segodnya,  Russian state-controlled international television network funded by the Russian government interviewed me on zoom link.

It went good.

I upheld the official stand taken by our Government...

These were the pointed questions for the discussion...

Points of discussion...;

1.  What do you make of Blinken’s statements on rising human rights violations in India?

2.  Does U.S have rights to accuse other countries of violating human rights anyways? Or did they forget their deeds in Afghanistan, Iraq?

3.  Is it possible that these accusations are some sort of punishment for India for not supporting U.S-led sanction crusade against Russia?

4.  Why U.S. is so eager to express its concern over religious minorities in India, when Biden can't fulfill his promise to close Guantanamo prison, famous for unhuman conditions of Muslims?

5. In your opinion, is the American involvement in situation with human rights in other countries and cultures a sincere initiative, or just a political tool to spread instability and apply pressure?

SMUGGLING IN INDIA: PUNJAB REMAINS A STICKING POINT, GOVERNMENTS MUST STEP UP ACTION

https://www.news18.com/news/opinion/drug-smuggling-in-india-punjab-remains-a-sticking-point-governments-must-step-up-action-5084317.html

SMUGGLING IN INDIA: PUNJAB REMAINS A STICKING POINT, GOVERNMENTS MUST STEP UP ACTION

Drug Smuggling in India: Punjab Remains a Sticking Point, Governments Must Step Up Action

The state of affairs with regard to drug addiction is very grave in the country.

Newspapers continued reporting addiction to this white poison called 'Chitta' in Punjab, while the police and the governments claimed all along that heroin usage and inflow had come down considerably

SHASHI KANT (IPS)

Updated: April 30, 2022, 15:48 IST

In the modern world, the word “drug” is one of the most used words. The first question, therefore, which comes to mind, is what really is the meaning of this word? Well, a drug is any substance (with the exception of food and water) which when consumed, alters bodily functions either physically and/or psychologically. They have a wide variety of uses, from medicinal uses to inducing intoxication.

Drugs may be ‘legal’ (for example, alcohol, caffeine and tobacco) or ‘illegal’ in variety. The latter category includes the usage of self-prescribed medicines which induce intoxication, certain intoxicating inhalants, Cannabinoids like Marijuana and Hashish, Opium and its derivatives like Heroin and Brown Sugar, stimulants like Cocaine, so-called Designer Drugs, ‘Club/Rave party drugs’ and so on. The latter basically are combinations of one or more kinds of ‘traditional’ and ‘chemical’ drugs, giving an enormous ‘high’. Besides them all, several other dissociative, hallucinogens, anabolic steroids and so on, also exist.

For the purpose of this article, I will confine myself to one variety, the dreadful Opioids, particularly Heroin which is nothing but a derivative of opium. We all know that the Golden Crescent, comprising Afghanistan and some parts of Pakistan and Iran, an are shaped like a crescent, is the highest producer of opium. The next such deadly area is called the Golden Triangle, a triangle-shaped geographical area lying in the regions of Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, including some parts of Thailand as well. Both these regions sit on India’s shoulders, on either side.

To start with, India was basically more of a route for onward dispatch of drugs abroad, primarily to the USA and Europe. Going by the then rate of recovery, Punjab appeared to be the favoured route for drug smuggling. The reason was the fact that for decades, Punjab, as also the west coast of the then Bombay, were the major point of gold smuggling into India. With the somewhat stabilisation of international gold prices, the Punjab route became the route for heroin smuggling into India. Most of the families involved in gold smuggling switched on to heroin smuggling because the profit margin was immense. It was a kind of two-way trade. A good quantity of precursor chemicals, specific chemicals and acids, used in the manufacture of heroin, was routed either directly or indirectly from India and the final product, Heroin, was pushed back into India. Gradually, however, China emerged as a mass producer of precursors and replaced India to a great extent.

Anti-Drug Investigations Across Agencies Have One Common Thread – Punjab

The UNODC and INCB list Asia, including India as one of the major precursor manufacturers. India is one of the signatories to the international conventions to control drugs. However, unfortunately, India still does not have a foolproof drug policy. The movement of opium and precursors is also not closely monitored. I remember that a drug controller of Punjab, in course of the proceedings of CWP 20359 of 2013, which was filed by me on the issue of drugs and is still going on the Punjab and Haryana High Court, had made this submission in the Court. On my petition to the Supreme Court of India, the Registrar had informed me that the Court is already seized of the matter. But perhaps sadly the government of India is still sleeping on it. There is no single authority to regulate psychotropic substances. It is all hotch-potch of ministries of home, drugs and chemicals, revenue and police with no controlling authority.

Hoping against hope is the maximum that a man can do. A bit more than a decade ago when I had exposed the Punjab drug racket and later when I approached the higher courts of the land, on this issue, I had to face stiff opposition both from Punjab police and a section of politically oriented individuals. This stiff opposition included threats of life to me and my family, attempts to kidnap and also attempts on my life. Though I continued fighting against the menace, I did hope that things might improve in Punjab. Sadly, governments came in and went out but the situation remains the same, if not worse.

There has been just no attempt to ascertain the damage to human lives and also their properties. Newspapers continued reporting addiction to this white poison, called ‘Chitta‘ in Punjab, while the police and the governments claimed all along that heroin usage and inflow had come down considerably. But recent revelations by reputed agencies like NIA, NCB, DRI, Customs and more have painfully shattered this myth. In the recent past, there have been massive recoveries of heroin. One recent newspaper report pegged an increase of about 37,000% in four years, from about 8kg in 2018 to about 3000 plus kgs in 2021. Major hauls were recovered at Mundra and Kandla ports besides the recent boat haul in Katch. These are amongst the major recoveries. So I will not count them while referring to other minor recoveries all over the country which, to my mind will be covered under the thumb rule that only about ten percent of recoveries normally get made. About ninety percent do not come to notice.

Agencies claim these major recoveries were part of consignments for some international drug cartel. If it is true, then does it means that India is a fast emerging and C&F (clearing and forwarding) agency of contraband drugs ultimately destined for some foreign lands. If this hypothesis, unfortunately, comes true then it will mean that India will soon find a place in the grey list of countries like Colombia. And if this C&F theory is wrong then it will have to be admitted that these hauls were for internal consumption within the country and the entire country is reeling under a drug crisis. Now it is for these agencies to make it abundantly clear as to which hypothesis is correct? Now the next issue is equally worrisome. It is being said that all these national agencies had found a common link: Punjab. Does it mean that Punjab is the place from where drugs are distributed all over the country?

Coming back to the subject of heroin, Chitta, as it is called in Punjab, indeed is habit-forming and lethal as well, but its ‘potency’ depends on the way it is ‘cut’. Cutting means that its potency is increased by treating or mixing it with some chemicals and certain pharmaceutical preparations. According to a newspaper report emanating from Himachal Pradesh, it was recently claimed that heroin or Chitta being smuggled into Himachal from Punjab was more addictive and fatal than the one sourced from Delhi. It was claimed that heroin from Punjab can bring the platelet count to less than 10,000, which can be fatal. It is because this heroin is cut with certain medicines like ‘Megaloblastic and Trimethophim’ or such other chemicals which tremendously increase the high effect of heroin. It is a matter of probing whether this heroin allegedly coming in from Punjab, was cut within Punjab or was cut in its place of origin itself, which is in Afghanistan /Pakistan or Iran itself. Himachal also claimed that in comparison, the heroin coming from Delhi (possibly from the golden triangle) was more ‘benign’ since it was cut with ‘Paracetamol and Dextromethorphan’.

Next in the line, there have been some reports that heroin is even being indigenously manufactured. If so, then this indigenous production is a matter of shame. On record, 22 districts in three states of India, that is in states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and U.P. produce Opium. There have however been reports that in certain other areas, including some on the West Bengal – Bangladesh border also, Opium is produced. I did check up with my friends in anti-drug groups but this allegation could not be confirmed beyond doubt. It could not be confirmed that commercial category heroin is produced at any of these places. However, there have been some unconfirmed reports that brown sugar is being manufactured at some of these places. This brown sugar is nothing but low-grade heroin, a semi-synthetic opioid derived from the poppy flower. It is possible that in cahoots with some corrupt officials, this brown sugar variety of heroin is being made in or near any of these opium-producing areas.

Drug smugglers are always on the lookout for new routes and ways to push drugs into the country. There is evidence to show that they have tried all possible routes and most of them are still active.

In the case of the Golden Crescent, drugs have been pushed in through land routes falling in the states of Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Nepal. Several recoveries have been made along these still active routes.

As compared to the Golden Crescent, which has been more notorious, smuggling into India, from the Golden Triangle, has comparatively been on somewhat of a lower key, the primary reason being distance, inhospitable terrain and the absence of governmental patronage, as is more than abundantly clear in case of our belligerent neighborhood, Pakistan.

Interestingly opioid drug smugglers have also been trying the aerial route as well. They have not succeeded much because of higher costs and the fact that bulk heroin can’t be pushed in that way. Yes, it is believed that this air route, besides of course the ‘shipping’, is more used in case of Cocaine smuggling from across the Latin American countries.

Of late, the sea route appears to have become a hot favourite of opioid smugglers because massive quantities can be pushed in one go and it is more unobstructed as compared to land routes. Recent recoveries from some Indian ports and across the Kutch sea waters bear testimony. In the case of the sea routes as well, I would like to invoke the said thumb rule of ten percent, though with a higher margin, because finding safe houses and willing accomplices is more difficult along the sea routes, as compared to those situated on land.

To sum up, the state of affairs with regard to drug addiction is very grave in the country. While in rural areas, a section of students and amongst the not-so-rich social segments, Cannabinoids are certainly being used, drugs including the purest form of heroin and cocaine are more prevalent amongst well-to-do sections of society. The choice of drugs is also an issue in a section of the youth with creamy layers, particularly in Metro cities. There have also been allegations about the use of Cocaine, designer and rave party drugs among wealthy circles of the youth.

It is about time that the governments, both at the centre as well as in the states, wake up to this issue before they all start ‘flying’ (Udta Desh).

The author is a former IPS officer who has worked at various posts in Punjab including as the DGP. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication 

HAZY ELECTORAL SCENARIO IN PUNJAB

Assembly elections in Punjab are just a few days away. More than being mere Punjab elections, it has become a war of nerves where various political parties have taken their boxing gloves off and are busy hitting each other below the belt, not a news thing if we take the Indian political scene as such, but for punjab it is a matter of concern because these accusations and counter allegations have raised the bogey of "bhaiyya" politics once again. The only time, this issue had come up during the days of militancy and terrorism when a sustained and blood stained champaign was in evidence against the "migratory' population.

No doubt that was a different scenario, but how the unmindful use of any word or phrase can create a massive political controversy, has come to the fore with an "off the cuff" statement attributed to the Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. It is reported that in a certain electoral rally, he willy nilly raised the "insider - outsider" issue. He is reported to have urged the Punjabis to "get united" stating that Priyanka Gandhi is the daughter in law of Punjab ( perhaps attributing to the part Punjabi blood of Robert Vadra) and not to permit "bhaiyyas" of UP, Bihar and Delhi" to enter Punjab with a view to "rule". (Charanjeet Singh Channi had reportedly stated that," पंजाब की बहू हैं प्रियंका गांधी... पंजाबन हैं, पंजाबियों की बहू हैं, पूरी ताकत के साथ एक तरफ हो जाओ पंजाबियो... यूपी के, बिहार के, दिल्ली के भइया जो पंजाब में आकर राज करना चाहते हैं उन्हें घुसने नहीं देंगे)

Ostensibly this statement refered to the Aam Aadmi Party, leadership of Delhi, but all the same it has created reverberations amongst the migrant labour working in strength in industrial city of Ludhiana and in similar industrial belts of a number of other cities like Jalandhar, Amritsar, Batala, Phagwara and for that matter, almost all over Punjab. Most of these migratory workers have been staying all over Punjab and have their voters cards as well. Normally speaking the use of this word ,"Bhaiyya" would not possibly have evoked such a adverse reaction because often it is not used in a derogatory sense. This word literally means "brother" and indicates "brotherhood" but given in a political climate and that too, in the presence of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, it is assuming a different colour all together. It is being interpreted as an anti migratory labour sentiment against Congress party and is being exploited as such. And not only in Punjab but in certain other poll bound states like UP as well.

This development will certainly have an adverse inpact on the electoral prospects of the ruling elite in Punjab because a good chunk of this migratory labour has been a vote bank of the Congress party. As to the exact swing, only a post electoral analysis will show.

A "BHAIYYA" JIBE...

Assembly elections in Punjab are just a few days away. More than being mere Punjab elections, it has become a war of nerves where various political parties have taken their boxing gloves off and are busy hitting each other below the belt, not a news thing if we take the Indian political scene as such, but for punjab it is a matter of concern because these accusations and counter allegations have raised the bogey of "bhaiyya" politics once again. The only time, this issue had come up during the days of militancy and terrorism when a sustained and blood stained champaign was in evidence against the "migratory' population.

No doubt that was a different scenario, but how the unmindful use of any word or phrase can create a massive political controversy, has come to the fore with an "off the cuff" statement attributed to the Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. It is reported that in a certain electoral rally, he willy nilly raised the "insider - outsider" issue. He is reported to have urged the Punjabis to "get united" stating that Priyanka Gandhi is the daughter in law of Punjab ( perhaps attributing to the part Punjabi blood of Robert Vadra) and not to permit "bhaiyyas" of UP, Bihar and Delhi" to enter Punjab with a view to "rule". (Charanjeet Singh Channi had reportedly stated that," पंजाब की बहू हैं प्रियंका गांधी... पंजाबन हैं, पंजाबियों की बहू हैं, पूरी ताकत के साथ एक तरफ हो जाओ पंजाबियो... यूपी के, बिहार के, दिल्ली के भइया जो पंजाब में आकर राज करना चाहते हैं उन्हें घुसने नहीं देंगे)

Ostensibly this statement refered to the Aam Aadmi Party, leadership of Delhi, but all the same it has created reverberations amongst the migrant labour working in strength in industrial city of Ludhiana and in similar industrial belts of a number of other cities like Jalandhar, Amritsar, Batala, Phagwara and for that matter, almost all over Punjab. Most of these migratory workers have been staying all over Punjab and have their voters cards as well. Normally speaking the use of this word ,"Bhaiyya" would not possibly have evoked such a adverse reaction because often it is not used in a derogatory sense. This word literally means "brother" and indicates "brotherhood" but given in a political climate and that too, in the presence of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, it is assuming a different colour all together. It is being interpreted as an anti migratory labour sentiment against Congress party and is being exploited as such. And not only in Punjab but in certain other poll bound states like UP as well.

This development will certainly have an adverse inpact on the electoral prospects of the ruling elite in Punjab because a good chunk of this migratory labour has been a vote bank of the Congress party. As to the exact swing, only a post electoral analysis will show...

Lapse in Prime Minister’s security in Punjab... Plot thickens...

 Lapse in Prime Minister’s security in Punjab

Plot thickens...

 

Controversy regarding the lapse in Prime-Ministerial security in Punjab refuses to die down. Fortunately now the Supreme Court has constituted a high level committee chaired by a retired Supreme Court Judge to look into the entire episode. Terms of reference prescribed for this high level committee are yet to be made available in the public domain. The committee, led by the retired Judge, includes the Chandigarh police chief, senior official of National Investigation Agency, an Additional Director General of Punjab Police, besides of course Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court, whose office, presumably already has all relevant documents, as directed by Supreme Court of India, concerning the Prime-Ministerial visit. These documents were to include all communications between various security agencies, ministries and Punjab Police, all orders regarding "bandobast" issued by Punjab police as also local contingents manning duties at various points en-route.

 

Obviously there was a serious security lapse on part of Punjab police. No one can deny it. In all probability there also was a serious lapse in coordination between various security apparatuses and their counterparts in intelligence agencies, both central and the state. One can be sure that it shall be one of the points of reference for the said committee. One can hope and wish that the conduct of the Special Protection Group, the SPG, shall also be examined because it is the most important single agency entrusted with the task of securing the Prime Minister, the most important single institution in the entire country. As an ex-intelligence man, I feel that of late there have been several lapses on part of the SPG. I am not aware if any internal enquiry was conducted into any of them, though security guidelines provide that each lapse should be looked into specifically. Videos are floating around, including the ones of Varanasi where the Prime-Ministerial cavalcade was disrupted at points, door of the vehicle in which the Prime Minister was traveling, was opened and shut a number of times to permit the crowd to facilitate the Prime Minister. They showered rose petals and flowers on the Prime Minister and even offered headgears and garlands. It is hard to believe that these numerous individuals and their garlands etc were ever sanitized. It was a grave security risk and violation of security guidelines. Already we have lost one Ex Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, to such a "garlanding tamasha". As per standard operative procedures, such acts are not permitted and SPG should not have permitted it.

 

Now coming to the episode in question; the time when the Prime Minister got stuck up on the flyover on his way from Bhatinda to Ferozepur, as per the security SOPs, SPG, on finding the road blockade, should have taken two steps. Firstly it should have "boxed" the Prime-Ministerial vehicle. "Boxed" means that SPG should have placed its cars all around the Prime-Ministerial vehicle in such a way that he had a security “wall” made up of security cars, part of the carcade, mostly bulletproofed, all around his own, a kind of fortification by way of expert placement of cars all around. Instead of doing this, SPG placed the Prime-Ministerial car towards the exposed edge of the carriage way. It made the Prime Minister totally vulnerable. He was nothing but a "sitting duck". To make matters worse, these "highly trained and motivated" SPG personnel were seen getting in and out of the Prime ministerial car. Anyone could have taken a pot shot. Here I would like to draw a parallel with the security of the President of the USA. In such a contingency the doors of his bullet proofed "Beast" would have been "sealed" by the driver, who also hails from within his security wing. In this given background, one needs to look at the foolish act of SPG officials who can be seen, in circulating videos, opening, going out and again stepping back into the Prime Minister's car. Next, after "boxing" the Prime-Ministerial car, to the extent possible, they should have sped the carcade away to the nearest "safe-house". To add to the gravity of the situation, Punjab police permitted private individuals, carrying flags mounted on long sticks, so very near the Prime Minister’s car. And here too, brandishing their deadly weapons, SPG personnel kept behaving like gullible, lost and untrained men on the street, tasked for such a duty for the very first time. 

 

Having talked about grave security lapses on part both of Punjab police, SPG personnel and others, one needs to move on to the "protocol" chapter, which is equally important. The protocol needed Chief Minister Channi, DGP and Chief Secretary to accompany the Prime Minister. It was not an election rally per-se. Code of conduct was not imposed as of then. Narendra Modi was visiting as the institution of the Prime Minister of India. Prescribed protocol should have been strictly observed. Now some sources close to the state government have started giving their untenable explanations, claiming that Bathinda was not meant to be the final destination for Prime-Ministerial visit, but only for a changeover from the aero plane to a helicopter for onward trip to Ferozepur. That no seats were reserved for CM and top officers in any VIP of the choppers and as such they could not be expected at Bathinda airport but only at the final destination, Ferozepur. That they could not use the state plane or chopper from handigarh to Bathinda airport because of the laid down security "Standard Operative Procedures", the security dril;, that some other other senior officers of Punjab could have been in the convoy. My take on this issue is that all details about the Prime Minister's security are chalked out well in advance and nothing is left to chance. The list of occupants of the Prime-Ministerial fleet of  chopper as also the list of officials and "others" in accompanying choppers is also finalized well in advance. This is because of this reason that Chief Minister Channi recused himself well in time on the ground that he had been in touch with certain Corona positive individuals. Now if the names of Chief Secretary and DGP were not included in the list of occupants in any of the choppers accompanying the Prime Minister, and that they were expected to reach directly on the ground of the designated functions, then what were their cars doing in the Prime-Ministerial motorcade? Protocol clearly lays down the reception of the Prime Minister by them, at the very first point of landing otherwise specifically provided for by the PMO itself. The next question that comes up is that if these high officials were indeed supposed to be at the venue of the Prime Ministerial function, then were they really there? Anyhow all this shall remain a point only for arguments and counter arguments because any of the concerned documents are still not in public domain. Only the enquiry committee shall be able to give an answer.

 

The only point about which we can be sure of as of now is that all state governments, state police forces, SPG and sundry intelligence agencies need to take this serious lapse seriously and ensure that no such incident happens again anywhere. They all need to study this lapse seriously and tighten their belts...

 

Don't “Alienate” Punjab…

Punjab is a unique land and so are Punjabis. It is land not only of joy, happiness, bhangra, gidda and soul stirring folk songs but also of sweat and grime. Punjabis are hard working and have been blessed by The Gurus. Whatever they touch, from barren lands to business, turns into gold. They have successfully transformed dry and arid areas like Bhatinda, earlier known as the "dust bowl of Punjab", malaria prone districts of Terai region in states of UP and Uttarakhand, parts of MP and for that matter, pockets all over the country, into fertile lands. They are running successful businesses all over the country. This Midas touch notwithstanding, Punjab's history has had turbulent times. It saw bloody foreign invasions, brutal days of the Raj, pain and massacre of partition, to name a few. But it's miseries didn't end here. It also witnessed dark days of militancy as also the brunt of skullduggery of certain politicians and continues to suffer on account of the activities of Pakistan, it's Machiavellian ISI and their cahoots. All this notwithstanding; Punjab remains a peaceful state and the grain bowl of the nation. Valiant Punjabis continue to stand in the very forefront in the matters relating to the security and sovereignty of the nation.

 

Sadly, the contribution of Punjab and Punjabis, not withstanding, it continues to be maligned mischievously by vested interests. Not going into the entire age old narrative, one can just refer to the "anti Sikh riots", which was nothing short of an attempted genocide of the Sikh community, the very hub of Punjabiat and of Punjab. One wonders why Punjabis in general and Sikhs in particular are despised by certain vested interests. Understandably very meticulously planned anti Punjab and anti Sikh tirade from abroad is primarily orchestrated by forces inimical to the sovereignty of our nation. They are playing psychological mind games to create an impression on non Punjabi / non Sikh population of India as if the latter two are trying to create an atmosphere of unrest within the country. As if there exists a pro-Khalistan lobby on the soil of Punjab. These elements abroad are led by Pakistan and its ISI which provides all tactical, moral, financial and material support to such lobbies. Sinister interest of Pakistan is obvious because it wants not only to continue creating trouble in India by creating law and order situation as also fomenting secessionist tendencies hoping to revenge it's continued defeats in all wars with India, as also dismemberment of what used to be its colony of East Pakistan, now the independent and sovereign nation, Bangladesh.

 

Shockingly a section of us Indians fails to understand and see through the Pakistani game plan to try to "alienate" Punjab from within the Indian nation. This section is unknowingly and unwittingly playing in the hands of Pakistan. A section of Indian social media is taking the lead in this nefarious act. Most of such posts emanate from their Pakistani handlers and their paid stooges in India and abroad. Plying in their hands, every now and then certain politicians refer, inadvertently or otherwise, to the K-word. Starting from the recent year long sit-in farmer’s agitation against “black farm laws”, on the borders of Delhi, in which several hundred of Punjabi farmers lost their lives; they were caked Khalistanis not only by a certain section of media but also be certain politicians. Instead of probing the case of pasting of certain pro-Khalistan posters and catching hold of mischievous elements responsible there for, just wild, unfortunate and misplaced allegations were labeled against the entire congregation. Then came the incident of placement of a religious flag on a rampart of the Red fort and that too in the presence of massive deployment of police. To make the matters worse, recent incident of Lakhimpur in which four farmers and four others were killed gave a chance to unscrupulous elements abroad to fan more rumour that Sikh farmers living in the Terai region both of UP and Uttarakhand are feeling threatened because of their prosperity and consequent animosity with some of the local populace, an out rightly false claim.

 

In this background came the recent Prime Ministerial visit to Ferozepur. There was a indeed a grave security lapse on part of security agencies and Punjab police, which now is being looked into by the Supreme Court itself. Political hullabaloo created in its aftermath is most damaging. More damaging is the most recent reported statement of some pro-Khalistan protagonist of the USA that the Prime Minster needs to be prevented from participating in certain Republic Day functions. It, along with since rumoured threat to the Supreme Court of India that it should not probe the Prime ministerial security lapse in Punjab, is likely to raise an unprecedented political uproar in the country. There are some TV channels shouting hoarse about it.

 

It is sad that none of us is able to understand the Pakistani game plan. We are just playing into their hands. Any unfortunate solitary “incidental reaction” can lead to serious consequences. We fail to see that there is no support to the so-called Khalistan from Punjab. Every one abhors those dark days of militancy. Punjab is as peaceful and as mainstream a state as rest of any state in the nation. Saner sense needs to prevail from all sides and the beginning has to be made from the volatile political segments.

 

 

 

 

 

my article om news 9live.com

https://www.news9live.com/india/sacrilege-and-politics-are-part-of-an-unholy-punjab-culture-141810?infinitescroll=1

Forthcoming Assembly Elections In Punjab, An Analysis

With the announcement of schedule for the forthcoming Assembly Elections in Punjab, political activities are since commencing, albeit sluggishly. Elections are to be held on February 14^th to elect 117 members for the 16^th State Assembly. Results are to be declared on March 10^th. Major players are going to be Congress, AAP and SAD (Badal). BJP, erstwhile associate of SAD will also be in the fray, in alliance with Capt Amarinder Singh, and some other minor parties.

 

Traditionally Punjab majorly has had a bi-party system, prime contenders being Congress and SAD (B), latter allied with BJP. Latter successfully won two consecutive elections in 2007 and 2012 and formed government along with BJP. The situation, however, underwent a change when in 2017, they lost assembly elections. Congress emerged victorious and formed government. 2017 election, however, witnessed the emergence of a third political contender, the Aam Aadmi Party. Initially there was a massive wave in its favour, but it soon started withering away because of mismanagement and over confidence. Still it captured 22 assembly seats and 23.80% of total electoral votes. It dented the vote bank of Congress and SAD by1.47% and 11.20% respectively. Now it hopes to form its own government in forthcoming elections. Various ground level surveys to date raise its expectations. However infighting within its state unit and cribbing between wannabes are damaging it. It also appears to be losing support of powerful farmer bodies on account of non fulfillment of reported assurance that some Sikh farmer leader may become its Chief Ministerial face. Some other farmer leaders also hoped to obtain some ministerial berth in case it emerged victorious.

 

Parting ways with BJP, SAD (B) has since allied with BSP, which has strong presence in parts of Doaba region, in and around Jalandhar. however BSP never had any significant presence in state assembly and is not likely to be able to create any magic spell overnight. A good chunk of farmers are upset with the SAD because the so-called "black agricultural laws" were enacted when its leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal was a part of Modi government. Neither party patriarch Parkash Singh Badal nor his son Sukhbir Singh Badal immediately stood up with farmers cause. By the time they did so and Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned and party decided to stand by the farmers, it was too late. Some of recent rallies and "tractor marches" of Sukhbir Singh Badal have been lack luster. It is a clear signal of where SAD stands as on date. Registration of a drug related case against Bikram Singh Majithia, Sukhbir Badal’s brother in law and an “iconic” leader of the Majha region consisting or the border belt of Amritsar further dashed party hopes in that region and it tried to do some damage control by “re-enlisting” some erstwhile dissident Akali leaders of that region. Now that Bikram Majithia has been granted bail, infighting in that area is going to increase. Majithia and these “re-enlisted” leaders did not see eye to eye. Anyhow, Bikram’s release on bail will certainly improve, though only marginally, SAD prospects in Majha area.

 

Next player, the BJP never had any significant hold in Punjab. It “piggi-backed” their former ally, the SAD. Farmers lobby which primarily consists of Jatts, is also all set against it. This fact was abundantly clear when some farmer leaders, despite “persuasion” by the state government, still congregated on the route of Prime Ministerial convoy and thus disrupted the visit itself.  Back door contact between Akalies and BJP is rumoured to be on, but any pre-poll alliance between them is not feasible.

 

Of late Congress has been trying hard to gain whatever ground SAD / BJP combine and AAP have had lost. Hushed word is doing rounds that CM Channi had acted "bravely". That he had the “guts to stall the Prime Ministerial visit to Ferozepur”, that he is still holding ground and is ready to sacrifice whatever he has to, for the "dignity and prestige" of Punjab. He appears to have shaken off the image of him being a “timid and under confident leader”, who was dominated and “subjugated” by a vociferous Navjot Sidhu, PPC president. Till before the Prime-Ministerial visit, he was apparently on a slide down. Dissentions were apparent within the party. In the background of the Ludhiana blast, it was also being alleged that he had no hold on law and order situation Congress, in Punjab, always has had support of a good chunk of “dalit” votes. Chief Minister Channi, belongs to the “dalit” community and he has, right from day one, doing a lot of good work for the community, thereby increasing his grip there on. Post Prime Ministerial visit to Punjab, political scene appears to be shifting in favour of Congress.

 

In Punjab politics, religious deras always have had an important and decisive role to play. There are several thousands of such deras and they have good followings. With the announcement of election schedule, these deras will now see whole hearted efforts from various parties to woo them. Already several political leaders have started contacting Dera Sachcha Sauda of Sirsa. It has good hold almost all over Punjab, particularly the Malwa region which starts from Patiala and goes on to Bhatinda and beyond. In the absence of its head, Ram Rahim, its political affairs committee has been managing dera affairs, of course under the guidance of its guru, who is currently incarcerated in a prison in Rohtak district of Haryana.

Coming days will need regular analysis of the trends and developments.

 

It is going to be an interesting electoral battle in Punjab…

 

Breach In Prime Ministerial Security and "p" & "k" Words.

Controversy regarding glaring security lapse during Prime Ministerial visit to Punjab refuses to die down, even though several high-level enquiry committees were immediately put in place followed by intervention by the highest court of land. Instead of waiting for the verdict, political tongues have been wagging mindlessly, without realising the inadvertent damage they are doing to the sovereignty, security and integrity of the nation. It reminds one of the story of Kalidas, who before embarking upon the path of literacy and writing soul stirring Meghdoot, is said to have tried cutting the very branch of a tree, on which he was sitting, unmindful of the fact that a fall therefrom could have taken his life.

Punjab and Punjabis are a valiant, yet peace loving people. They are rightly proud of their ethnicity, traditions and above all, the religion. Yes, we in Punjab had a dark period of militancy. It was fuelled by our notorious neighbour, Pakistan, more precisely it's more notorious ISI. That dark period lasted about a decade. Not withstanding the presence of some sleeper cells of ISI backed militants, peace prevails and Punjab is moving ahead proudly along with the rest of India. As on date, even the ghost of so-called Khalistan doesn't exist though certain elements abroad do try, once in a while, to raise the bogey thereof at the behest of Pakistan which fuels them financially. These elements abroad create the furore once in a while, but sadly it's reverberations last much longer in India, and that too, very sadly, because of political and other reasons which are difficult to comprehend. Politicians like to raise the bogey there of because of their political reasons and so called intellectuals do it mindlessly on behalf of certain media houses hosting so called "thunderous and intimidating Prime Time shows" trying to make people believe that the ghost of "Khalistan" has either returned or is returning. Politicians are concerned only with their political milage and such media house care only about their TRPs. 

Sadly this hallucinating scare is yet again being created by them all. The serious and unacceptable breach in Prime Ministerial  security is being probed by various agencies and even the Supreme Court has taken cognizance there of, so where is the need of unknowingly playing in the hands of pro-khalistan elements abroad. So called high-level discussions on certain TV channels and a section of media, are advertantly doing what persons like Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, hereafter refered to as "p" had miserably failed in, that is, reviving the ghost of Khalistan ("k"). Every one knows that in Punjab, there no such possibility, there are just no chances of its revival. Punjabis and Punjab had suffered miserably and people don't even want to think of those times. Memories of that period still sends shivers down one's spine. The bogey of so called "Referendum 2020" had failed miserably. Hardly any man in street was aware of it. Even now hardly any common man is aware of persons like Pannu. Unfortunately certain political parties and some media houses are inadvertently playing in the hands of such elements abroad. For last few days, one has only been hearing of these "p" and "k" words from them and that too at the top of their blaring voices, whereas what to talk of flaunting them, they need not even be written in capital letters...

Wish and hope that better sense prevails on them all...

Amen...