CHANDIGARH: About 12,000 Punjab villages will elect 70,000 sarpanches and panches between January 1519 in the midst of numerous complaints of police interference in the process,
The panchayat elections are being held after 14 years. The last poll was organized by the Badal government which had, however, encourage the villagers to unanimously elect their panchayats and claim special grants on that account from the stale government.
Observers feel that the real aim of the Congress (I) government in holding the election is to cash in on the tendency of villagers to rake up feuds based on groupism and castes and sub castes. This way the purpose of the ruling party is to further weaken the Sikh movement for Khalistan.
The militants have sought to counter the government strategy by advising villagers to elect their representatives unanimously. Preference should be given to those who have a record of struggle against police repression. No Congress(I) man or woman should be voted. The militants have also clarified that they on their own are not settling up any candidates.
Almost all Akali groups are not only taking interest in the panchayat poll but have also set up their candidates in many villages.
The Badal faction has tied to cover the lost ground by joining the fray in a big way in Bathinda, Farid kotand Sangrur districts. The Mann group, too, has sponsored candidates.
Another major force, apart from Congress(1), is the Bahujan Samaj Party headed by Kanshi Ram. It is likely to return candidates in strength to beat back not only the Congress(I) but also other groups.
Most Sikh groups view the panchayat poll as a corrective measure after their boycott of the Assembly election last year. The election now is being treated as prelude to their entry into Assembly or parliamentary elections as and when these are held.
There is growing feeling even among militant sections that the poll boycott by them had done more damage than ensuring them gains because the police could mount repression far more effectively after the election than what was possible otherwise. That explains excessive interest in the panchayat election.
The Indian authorities have entrusted the job of keeping pro militant panchayats being elected under check through police. All major Akali groups have complained publicly that their candidates are being arrested. Baba Joginder Singh said at Bathinda that the government should not have enacted the poll drama if it had to arrest so many Sikh candidates.
According to Bhai Kartar Singh Narang, President of Babbar Akali Dal, the police arrested Bhai Sukhdev Singh who is popular is Ropar and Fatehgarh districts and had succeeded in ensuring unanimity in 300 villages.
Bhai Narang apprehended that Bhai Sukhdev Singh would be eliminated in the same way as Bhai Gurdev Singh Kaonke had been killed.
Some Sikh circles expressed the view that Bhai Kaonke had been killed in the context of his efforts to bring about unanimity in villages. He had succeeded to a great extent, it is said.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 15, 1993
