Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Villagers in Toor Banjara, Sangrur, today chased away BJP leaders who reached the village, delivering a blunt message to the BJP that its divisive politics has no place in Punjab. Reacting sharply to the development, Punjab AAP State General Secretary (Organisation) and Media In-charge Baltej Pannu said the BJP’s attempt to play the caste card in Punjab had once again met with a strong public rejection. He said Punjab would never allow the BJP to replicate the Jat–non-Jat politics played in Haryana.
Reacting to the BJP leaders’ visit to Toor Banjara village in Sangrur, Baltej Pannu said that the response from the people was a clear message to the BJP that divisive politics has no place in Punjab. “Punjab’s soil is fertile, but the crops of religion, caste and hatred do not grow here. Before Toor Banjara, the people had given the same message to the Congress, and today they have sent the BJP packing as well,” he said.
Baltej Pannu said the BJP was attempting to bring to Punjab the same kind of caste-based electoral politics that it had played in Haryana. He said Punjab’s people have always rejected attempts to create divisions among communities for political benefit. “When elections were held in Haryana, they played the Jat–non-Jat game. Now they want to play the same game in Punjab. But such a game has never worked in Punjab and it will never work here in the future either,” he said.
Baltej Pannu said that political parties should understand that Punjab cannot be divided into caste-based vote banks. “Votes may be sought in other states by creating divisions on the basis of caste, but not in Punjab. The people of Punjab will not allow anyone to divide society in the name of caste or religion for electoral gains,” he said.
He said the message emerging from Toor Banjara should be understood by all three traditional political forces: the Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress and BJP. “Akalis, Congress and BJP leaders, read the writing on the wall,” he said, warning the Opposition parties against attempting to exploit caste and religious sentiments for political gains.
Drawing a clear distinction between the AAP’s politics and that of the Opposition, the AAP Punjab State General Secretary (Organisation) said, “AAP has done the politics of schools and hospitals. We have neither done the politics of religion and caste, nor will we do so in the future. AAP would not allow any political party to bring divisive and ‘dirty politics’ into Punjab. “We want to make it clear that we have never done the politics of religion and caste and we will never do it. We will also not allow anyone to do this kind of dirty politics in Punjab,” he said.
Baltej Pannu said Punjab has its own distinct social and political character, where people have consistently rejected attempts to create divisions among communities. He said parties seeking electoral gains through caste-based polarisation should understand that Punjabis will not allow such politics to take root in the state.
He added that the people of Punjab want politics centred on education, healthcare, development and public welfare rather than religion, caste and hatred. “The people have given their message. Those who are trying to divide Punjab for political gains should read the writing on the wall,” Baltej Pannu said.
