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Amarinder hits
Punjab polity, Bhattal, Congress, Badals all
Goes on whirlwind tour, dares Cong as well Akalis, gets big response
WSN Network
CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR:
Back to the days of colourful politics in Punjab and displacing the
Badals from the news headlines, former Chief Minister Amarinder
Singh has struck back. And struck back he has in a major way,
casting aside his hibernation since the defeat in the Assembly
elections and the row over his Pakistani woman friend Aroosa Alam.
Spitting fire against Congress president Rajinder Kaur Bhattal,
accusing her of being hand in glove with the Badals, and fending off
attempts by the high command to keep him fixated in a smaller role,
Captain Amarinder Singh is currently on a whirlwind tour of Punjab,
reaching out to Congressmen and their families allegedly harassed by
the Badal government and embroiled in false cases, and trumpetting
himself as the saviour and Bhattal as the devil incarnate.
But it is the level of support and enthusiasm that he has been able
to elicit which has jolted the state polity from the slumber induced
by endless talk of projects and SEZs, and an insistence by Sukhbir
and company to remain in the headlines all the time. Before
Amarinder emerged back on the scenario, the idea of Opposition party
in Punjab was almost reduced to a rumour and the Badals were having
a field day.
Now, everyday Bhattal and her newly appointed party spokesperson Bir
Devinder Singh, are forced to spew venom against Amarinder Singh.
He, however, skipped a meeting of a coordination committee set up by
the high command, calling it partisan and stuffed with yes-men of
Bhattal. Later, he was asked not to hold any rallies. Amarinder
quickly changed the nomenclature of his meetings, called his tour as
a program to visit and meet Congressmen, and proved his point that
he is one person who draws a much wider support and response than
any other in his party.
Standard statements have been along the lines that "I have no
problem in working with Rajinder Kaur Bhattal provided she snaps
ties with Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Badal". Also, demands like
an independent probe by an agency like the CBI into Bhattal's
alleged links with Babbar Khalsa International have created a new
aspect.
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Bhattal is in league with the Badals. That is why she is not
bothered about Congressmen who are targetted by adals. I will
reach out to all these Congressmen.
— Amarinder Singh |
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 Amarinder
Singh is issuing baseless and irresponsible statements as he is
suffering from mental tension due to the ongoing City Centre
scam trial. He is hand in glove with the BJP.
— Rajinder Kaur Bhattal
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Amarinder Singh is a problem even for his own party. What to
talk of someone who does not follow his own party discipline.
There is no need for any inquiry into Bhattal's links with
militants.
— Parkash Singh Badal |
A few die
hard supporter MLAs have come out in the open to back Amarinder,
Jeet Mohinder Singh being the foremost. Amarinder is known to enjoy
support among some younger MLAs and the cavalcades of hundreds of
vehicles and mobike riders in his caravan are making it to front
page pictures day after day in Punjab.
He would typically stop by at the house of some Sarpanch "falsely"
implicated in criminal cases. Then the cavalcade proceeds to next
village some Block Samiti Congress workers will highlight the
"atrocities" committed against them. Next stop will be some town
square huge public gathering. Keeping up pace will be drum beaters
and Congress workers showering flowers and garlanding Amarinder.
"Vendetta victims" are routinely presented before Amarinder. Groups
of Scheduled Castes persons will often offer Amarinder "makki di
roti" with "sarson da saag", ensuring yet another photo-op.
Punjab Youth Congress president Vijay Inder Singla is also among
those backing Amarinder. The entire hoopla over Amarinder's public
statements and his tours has shaken the state Congress but any
action it takes against Amarinder is only proving the charge that
Bhattal has little to say against the Badals and is focussing more
on targetting Amarinder.
23 April 2008
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