Categorical view: Assault on Sukhbir Badal should be probed

The assassination try on Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal by a former militant, who had crossed over to Pakistan in the course of the peak of unrest in Punjab, has rekindled recollections of the state’s darkest days. Strikingly, the incident occurred on the very spot the place a deputy inspector common of the Punjab Police was killed in 1983. Whereas right now’s floor actuality is vastly totally different, with scarcely any standard help for separatist components, the necessity for warning can’t be understated. Sadly, the incident has fuelled conspiracy theories, with each the Opposition and the ruling Aam Aadmi Social gathering indulging in blame video games. What’s urgently required is an neutral investigation. Political events should resist the temptation to take advantage of this second of reckoning for the state for slim positive aspects.

The taking pictures comes at a time when the highlight is on the Shiromani Akali Dal, amidst interventions by the Akal Takht, the best temporal authority of the Sikhs. India’s oldest celebration, which traditionally served as a moderating drive in panthic politics, finds itself on the again foot. Its diminishing affect was evident within the Lok Sabha elections, when two candidates with extremist leanings had been elected to Parliament. Whereas optimists see promise within the Akal Takht’s efforts to reform the celebration, the trail to revival is fraught with challenges. Sukhbir Singh Badal’s request for forgiveness in response to the Akal Takht jathedar’s pointed questions on sacrilege and controversial police appointments could have happy some folks nevertheless it additionally appears to have emboldened hardliners.

As soon as a frontrunner in financial efficiency, Punjab has slid badly over the previous twenty years. A way of hopelessness amongst its youth has triggered an enormous exodus out of the state. The agrarian disaster culminated in one of many longest farmers’ agitations at Delhi’s borders, and one other agitation looms. Including to those woes are unresolved emotive points, such because the division of river waters and the demand for a separate capital — points central to the Dharam Yudh Morcha as soon as spearheaded by the Akalis earlier than it was hijacked by the extremist forces. These unresolved issues, usually co-opted by radical components, proceed to reopen previous wounds. Different delicate issues, comparable to the discharge of Sikh political prisoners and management over Sikh shrines, additional inflame tensions and supply fodder for hardliners. Punjab’s many fault strains demand not simply acknowledgement however closure. Whereas well-wishers hope for the Akali Dal to reclaim a average area in panthic politics, each the state and the Centre should put aside politicking to deal with the state’s delicate points with care. The main focus should shift in direction of fostering industrial progress, creating jobs and enabling farmers to undertake sustainable and worthwhile agricultural practices. Although bold, these targets are achievable with concerted effort. Each the state and the Centre should keep in mind that Punjab can’t afford a relapse into extremism.