Punjab - an outlier

There is no denying the fact that our PM has booked a prominent place in history of Modern India. He has played a major role in disrupting long feudalism of congress and other regional parties. It won't be an exaggeration to say that PM democratized the electoral polity of our nation.

However, it will also not be an overstatement that PM and his party banked on religion-based divisive politics that seek to deny legitimacy of minorities rights in India. For them, ends have justified the means - though this has largely been accepted by the society that seeks "strong" leadership.

Indeed, as is evident, the gap between congress and BJP is huge as far as organization and leadership is concerned. It doesn't seem it will get any better in coming years as well. The fact is that congress and its allies have their visions stunted and failed to decipher the aspirations of the young.

Despite the poor socio-economic record of the ruling party in past 5 years, people are voting for them in name of a leader who can presumably change their lives. Even the educated lot that can understand basic economics or constitutional principles rallied behind ruling party in name of PM.

Nonetheless, there was one state that had resiliently stood against the phenomenon that PM has become in North. It is an interesting case study.

Long before BJP started to gain ground in politics on basis of religion in India during 90s, people of Punjab were very much acquainted(and voted) along religious lines. In fact, Punjab is one of those states where religious minority is in majority. Religion had been biggest factor in Punjab politics.

No other state(other than J&K perhaps) has experienced the extent of religion based violence as Punjab had. Whether it was Partition of 1947 or Khalistani terrorism during 80s & early 90s. But these tragedies has also brought an understanding among Punjabi people about abuse of religion in politics.

This is evident when one looks at the state of the party that traditionally presented itself as party of Sikhs. Akali Dal(SAD) had suffered the same fate as congress did at Center. Meanwhile, Punjab opened itself to newer experiments like AAP and others, and Congress led by able administrator.

Thus, the reason one see the defiance of Punjabis against Modi tsunamo is borne out of their long experience of religion based politics in their own state. It was a politics that took away the attention from major issues facing people - agriculture, lack of industrialization, youth related issues etc.

This defiance is not to be confused with love for congress, but only against the type of politics that BJP-SAD represents or what Khalistani wanted to create. Some find it strange and perplexing that party that was linked with Delhi pogrom gets such support in the Punjab.

This is the maturity that has again been displayed recently in elections. In this sense, Punjab is an outlier, not just in the north, but also across the country.

Source :

https://www.thehindu.com/…/post-poll-s…/article27298363.ece…