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Punjab's Memorandums of Misunderstanding
Dr. Amrik Singh  

Jaspal Bhatti, the comedian published a cartoon in The Tribune Chandigarh in 1985 about Rajiv Longowal Accord that to my belief was the funniest ever. The senior leaders of Shiromni Akali Dal attired in bright Bhangra colors with squirrelly (Kato) sticks in their hands are ready to step in the loop for dancing at the beat of the drum. . But before breaking into action Longowal steps back at the nick of the stroke. While still holding the stick in the left hand, the kato string in the right, he asks his teammates, “should we dance or not?”  Bhatti’s quip was so precise and witty that it exactly summed up the predicament of Akalis and their relationship with the central government. Rajiv- Longowal Accord veered off the track at the last minutes of its consummation. On January 25, 1986, a message from Prime Minister Office reached before midnight hour that all work of Chandigarh transfer to Punjab be stopped.  The anti-accord lobby after their grueling efforts had succeeded in convincing the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi that he was simply naive in yielding to Akalis who harbored separatist notions. Rajiv Gandhi was told that the accord by validating Anandpur Sahib Resolution had prepared ground for separation. They persuaded him that India would disintegrate. Therefore, Rajiv Gandhi passed unambiguous orders for stalling all efforts to transfer Chandigarh to Punjab.  Jaspal Bhatti had ironically foreboding of the fate of Rajiv-Longowal Accord.  Sant Harchand Singh Longowal and former finance minister Balwant Singh were dubbed traitors. They both were assassinated brutally. Many attempts were also made on the life of Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra who was a votary to the Punjab accord with Rajiv Gandhi. .

When Bhupinder Singh Hooda gate crashed into the high profile reception for signing a memorandum of understanding,  the union minister of state for civil aviation, Praful Patel showed his surprise and  helplessness in concluding the MOU in the wake of  Haryana chief minister’s threatening gestures.  Hooda thundered that no one, not even the Prime Minister could stop Haryana to lay its claim on Chandigarh. Badal and gang lost their composure for a while and didn’t know how to take the bull by horns. Their expressionless faces manifested their incapacity to broker any interstate deal to the satisfaction of Punjabi people.  Whether the last minute volatile action was already arranged with the consent of the union minister or not, but modifying MOU according to Hooda’s dictation raised many eyebrows. Such a belligerent gesticulation reminds one about the post-independent history of the Punjab and the birth of Haryana and Himachal.

Akalis  have a track record of entering into multiple accords that often flew in their face and benefited more their neighbors. The acceptance of their demand for Punjabi Suba won statehood for Haryana and Himachal. People of new states hardly had to make any efforts for the bonanza. Punjabi Suba was Akalis’ favorite demand.  On the contrary Akalis complained that Punjab’s reorganization became a thorn in their flesh. However, Punjab Congress has different opinions about their opponents. They often accuse Akalis that they exhibit more ineptness than helplessness in dealing with the matters of governance. Some Punjab Congressmen openly declare that to heckle Akalis is their favorite pastime. They believe that Akalis have a hindsight vision, therefore cannot stand their (Congress’s) political maneuvering. As a result all deals brokered by them either gather dust or considered illegitimate and short-lived.

It is hard for Akalis to break from the history of their Morchas. The Sikhs’ rejection of Pakistan and some national leaders’ intriguing silent acceptance of Muslim League’s demand for it had made Master Tara Singh frustrated. Master Tara Singh often held that Sikhs would get a state within India where they would have freedom to choose. According to him, parameters changed between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950 when Indian constitution was drafted. Sikhs demand lost its sheen in the newly awakened national fervor. In the popular imagination, Sikhs were supposed to integrate in the fabric of the society no matter what they were promised both by the Congress and the Muslim league leaders. Master Tara Singh had even once merged Akali Dal into the Indian National Congress, but when he couldn’t acclimatize to the secular culture, he clamped Morcha for Punjabi Suba.   
The much advertised memorandum of understanding between Punjab and Airport Authority of India on January 4, 2007 was jeopardized when Bhupinder Singh Hooda Haryana Chief Minister unexpectedly jumped in the fray.  Earlier having rejected Parkash Singh Badal’s proposal, Haryana and Himachal showed their indifference to the plan for an International Airport.  But when Mohali International Airport’s plan finally came up for finishing touches, Hooda along with anti-Punjab lobby worked to sabotage the plan. But when Badal didn’t react as expected by Hooda, Haryana had to sign the memorandum with the commitment of a heavy price.  The opposition party dubbed Hooda as a biggest fool to have jumped into the controversy. Ajay Chautala argued that Mohali International Airport would have benefited Haryana all the same. Hooda declared it was not money but their lion share in Chandigarh that mattered most.  However, Hooda couldn’t elaborate how it was at stake.

Reliable sources reveal that it was Rajinder Kaur Bhattal who engineered the trouble through the offices of Hooda. The sole purpose was to embarrass Badal so that Sukhbir stopped making tall claims of developing the Punjab region.

The scene created by Hooda at eleventh hour was motivated indeed. It is strange that both CM’s living in each other’s proximity failed to use discreet methods to sort out their problems. The issue of International Airport was in the news for a long time. The most appropriate time was when Airport Authority of India signed a memorandum of understanding with Greater Authority for Mohali Development.

Maybe Rajinder Kaur Bhattal wanted to remind Akalis  that when the Congress rules the center, Akalis cannot overrule.  Analysts say it was clearly to appease anti-Punjab lobby that Hooda was brought in who had earlier shown complete indifference to the proposal.

As per the agreement, Punjab will provide the land and the two state shall pay the price equally.  Akalis allege that  Hooda’s taking the union minister aside and telling him to change the complexion of the MOU speaks a lot about the consistent attitude of the center against the interest of Akalis or anything related with Akalis.

While defending his last minute decision to turn the tables on Akalis,  Bhupinder Singh Hooda claimed that retaining Chandigarh as the name of the International Airport was a victory for Haryana. Readers don’t know how Hooda will react to Punjab CM’s missive to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for naming the Internation Airport after a legendary martyr Shaheed e Azam Bhagat Singh.

16 January 2008
 

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