2 weeks ago
Is panthic politics returning to Punjab ahead of polls?
In Punjab, a part of India, something important happened in politics this week.
A leader asked the governor to let a prisoner named Jagtar Singh Hawara out of jail for ten days.
The prisoner's mother is very sick, and he wants to see her.
Hawara was convicted long ago for the killing of a former chief minister.
Some people think the request is a trick to win votes, not just kindness.
Another political group said it will put a man named Satwant Singh in the next election, in 2027.
His father was punished for the killing of a former prime minister.
The woman who will run against him is from a family connected to the same old story.
Also, a leader named Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked at a gurdwara, which is a Sikh place of worship.
Many people are asking if Punjab is going back to old, religion-based politics, but experts say voters usually care most about good jobs, schools, and services.
Three developments this week have reignited debate over 'panthic' politics in Punjab: a parole plea for Jagtar Singh Hawara, a Waris Punjab De candidate announcement, and an attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann sought a 10-day humanitarian parole for Hawara — convicted in the 1995 assassination of former CM Beant Singh — to meet his ailing mother; Governor Gulab Chand Kataria recommended it, and even Beant Singh's grandson Ravneet Singh Bittu backed it.
Shiromani Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), led by jailed MP Amritpal Singh, announced Satwant Singh, son of Indira Gandhi assassination convict Kehar Singh, as its first candidate for the 2027 Assembly elections.
Satwant Singh will contest Bassi Pathana against independent Amrit Kaur Maloya, daughter of Beant Singh (an Indira Gandhi assassin), in what many call a 'qurbani vs qurbani' battle.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked at a gurdwara in Maharashtra's Nanded by a man dressed as a Nihang, days after meeting PM Narendra Modi.
- Who
- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu, jailed Khadoor Sahib MP and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
- What
- A week of three political developments — a parole request for Jagtar Singh Hawara, a Waris Punjab De candidate announcement for the 2027 Assembly elections, and an attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal — that reignited debate over 'panthic' (religious/identity) politics in Punjab.
- Where
- Punjab, India, with the Badal attack occurring at a gurdwara in Maharashtra's Nanded.
- When
- This week; Assembly elections are due in 2027, and Hawara has been in custody for 31 years.
- Why
- Political parties appear to see an electoral opportunity in occupying the panthic space, even as analysts debate whether identity politics can win votes in a state that has historically resisted it.
Hardline panthic politics is returning
Panthic space is an electoral opportunity
Is panthic politics resurgent?
Hardline panthic politics is returning
The three developments — the parole move, the Waris Punjab De candidate, and the attack on Badal — show hardline 'panthic' politics is returning to Punjab.
Panthic space is an electoral opportunity
That conclusion is premature; mainstream parties are occupying the panthic space because they see an electoral opportunity, not because voters are turning hardline.
Motives behind the Hawara parole
Hardline panthic politics is returning
The parole request is a humanitarian move, sought so Hawara can meet his ailing mother and supported even by Beant Singh's grandson and the Governor.
Panthic space is an electoral opportunity
Analyst Pramod Kumar calls it an attempt to shift the political goalposts and divert attention from the government's performance; Mann opposed parole in court until March.
Can identity politics win Punjab elections?
Hardline panthic politics is returning
Waris Punjab De is attracting young voters by raising issues like river waters, Chandigarh and imprisoned prisoners, portraying Punjab's problems as discrimination by successive governments.
Panthic space is an electoral opportunity
Since 1992, Punjab has rarely voted on an explicit religious plank, Sikhs have never voted as a bloc, and voters have historically prioritised development, education and governance over identity.
Key facts
- State
- Punjab, India
- Parole sought
- 10-day parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara on humanitarian grounds to meet his ailing mother
- Jagtar Singh Hawara
- Convicted in the 1995 assassination of former Punjab CM Beant Singh; death sentence commuted to life in 2010; in custody for 31 years
- 2027 Assembly elections
- Satwant Singh (Waris Punjab De) vs Amrit Kaur Maloya (independent) in Bassi Pathana
- Attack on SAD president
- Sukhbir Singh Badal attacked at a gurdwara in Maharashtra's Nanded by a man dressed as a Nihang
- Prisoners' agitation
- Qaumi Insaaf Morcha protest at the Chandigarh-Mohali border since January 2023 over 'Bandi Singhs' (Sikh prisoners)
- BJP stance
- Release of prisoners must be decided by the state governments where cases originated or prisoners are held
Quotes
Pramod Kumar
Veteran Punjab watcher and head of the Institute for Development and Communication
“So, on one hand, it is trying to appeal to panthic voters by rooting for Hawara’s parole; on the other, it is trying to woo Hindu voters through its teerth yatras, bhajan sandhyas, temple projects and other programmes. In essence, it is trying to appropriate a political space occupied traditionally by the Akalis and the BJP,”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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