"EVM" Modi government hits back on Akali Dal giving out a strong signal to former ally

 

EVM Empire strikes back, withdraw Z plus security of Akali stalwart Bikram Singh Majithia

 

Jagtar Singh

Ground Zero

 

When Akal Takht Acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, while pitching for the Shiromani Akali Dal, attacked the Narendra Modi government as the “EVM government”, he did not realise that the retaliation would be  hard and quick. The Modi government hit a soft target and withdrew Z plus security cover provided to party strongman Bikram Singh Majithia, brother of Harsimrat Kaur Badal who resigned recently from the Modi cabinet on the farmers issue after strongly supporting the same earlier. She is the wife of Akali Dal supremo Sukhbir Singh Badal.

The platform from where Giani Harpreet Singh fired the missile was the 100^th anniversary function of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in Manji Sahib Diwan Hall in the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) complex, an event that should have been a grand affair but ended up virtually as a non-event, like any ordinary religio-political function.

The main highlight was the way the platform was used to revive the fortunes of the Akali Dal, the party that continues to be in the receiving end even when out of power.

Both Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife attended the function.

The anti-Modi tone was earlier set by Sukhbir who talked of increasing insecurity to minorities, an issue that neither he  nor his party ever touched so long the Akali Dal was in alliance with the BJP.

The general perception of the Modi government is that of its being vindictive.

It may be recalled that during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Modi has addressed election meeting at Hoshiarpur where 5-time chief minister and Faqr-e-Qaum Panth Rattan Parkash Singh Badal raised the slogan of ‘Modi, Modi, Modi…’ like a BJP worker at the end of his speech. Harsimrat was inducted as minister by Modi in 2014. Sukhbir has now suddenly realized after break with the BJP that the Modi government is anti-minorities and anti-farmer.

The Akali Dal  ended more than two decade old alliance with the BJP as the party came under increasing pressure after the farmers launched struggle against the farm acts introduced by the Modi government that are perceived to be disastrous. The model of free market that these acts have advocated has already failed in Bihar.

The Badal family had initially very strongly supported these farm ordinances that were converted into acts some weeks back. The farmers have been the traditional supporters of the Akali Dal for years.

The BJP has been attacking the Akali Dal from day one after the end of the alliance. The party is now eyeing Punjab after Bihar although it has little base in this state whose electoral dynamics is dictated by the  Sikh religio-political dynamics and farm economy.

However, the Akali Dal has been distancing from the religio-political dynamics over the years to work out new permutations and combinations. However, having been hit hard, the party is now trying to revert to the Panthic agenda. The SGPC centenary anniversary function happened to be one such exercise rather than setting the agenda for this body with glorious history of struggles. In the process, the Modi government too was targeted.

The issue here, however, is the withdrawal of security cover of Majithia. He had been provided security cover by the Central Reserve Police Force.

Akali Dal senior leader Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema reacted strongly to this action saying, ““It is clear that Mr Majithia is a victim of political vendetta. The SAD however will not be cowed down by such tactics and will continue to stand with farmers and Punjabis against the central laws as well as any other issue which weakens the federal structure or is intrinsically anti- Punjab….National Democratic Alliance (NDA). .. Security should not be given on whims and fancies to people who sing the tune of the government.”

It is too well known that the security cover has become status symbol in India.

This entire system of security needs to be reviewed.

How come that the people from the political class become scared of the very people whom they claim to serve?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi must order review of the security cover of each and every person who has been extended this favour in the country.

The rules must be clear and specific rather than it being a discretion.