Bathinda, Punjab (KP) – The Bhartiya Janata Party has announced that they will be inaugurating efforts to seek votes by Sacha Sauda Dera followers in the upcoming elections. The announcement has come as a surprise to many, as during the previously contested elections; the BJP enjoyed very little support from the Sacha Sauda Dera. As a consequence of losing the Dera’s support to the Congress, the BJP and Akali Dal (B) suffered huge losses from Sacha Sauda dominant areas.
During a press conference organized at Secretarial House, the Punjab BJP general secretary Kamal Sharma announced that according to the Constitution, minority communities in India had the right to congregate in anyway their faith required. Furthermore, he openly announced that the Sacha Sauda premis should also be allowed to hold ‘naam-charcha’ sessions. This statement came in after the State Government run by an Akali Dal and BJP alliance has already put a ban on these congregations.
Sharma further held that he would use his party’s influence and raise talks with other Governmental officials so that the rights of the Sacha Sauda followers could be safeguarded. Interestingly, Sharma was asked to speak about the issue of Gurmeet Ram Rahim hurting Sikh sentiments. On this case, he expressed his unsympathetic feelings towards the Sikhs and held that the Dera Chief had already begged pardon and that he should have been excused by the Sikh clergy.
Sharma also announced that his party will be working closely with Akali Dal (B) officials to distribute tickets to nominees of both parties. In addition to contesting the elections in similar terms like last year, both parties will reach out to other organizations, including the anti-Sikh organization Sacha Sauda, that didn’t support the Akali Dal and BJP alliance.
Ever since the issue of hurting Sikh sentiments emerged, Gurmeet Ram Rahim enjoyed open support by several Congress leaders. This was obviously due to the fact that they were well supported in the elections by directives of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. However, the Bhartiya Janata Party has ever since been in search of an opening that would allow them to break support for the Congress.
The BJP Party has joined several ventures to initiate this process. Soon after the Sikh masses came out to oppose the activities of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the Shiromani Akali Dal (B) has been pressured by several eminent Jathebandis in Punjab to seek the arrest of the cult chief. Despite also having announced that they will take appropriate measures to seek justice, the Akali Dal (B) President was held back by his BJP counterpart. This act may be a strategic political move by the BJP to please Sacha Sauda and gain their support.
Moving further, the people of Punjab have noticed the arrests of several youth. Most of these arrests have been carried out directly by the Haryana Police without any interference by the Punjab Government. Several others have been illegally detained and interrogated, while numerous others have been severely tortured while in Haryana Police’s custody. This may have been another political maneuver by the Bhartiya Janata Party for the sake of increasing its voter bank.
