SELECTION OF ‘PIGEON HOLED’ RS MEMBERS FROM PUNJAB

IT’S A SAD REFLECTION ON THE WISDOM OF MR. KEJRIWAL  

Capricious and autocratic selection of Rajya Sabha candidate from Punjab is a sad reflection on the wisdom of Mr. Kejriwal. I’m afraid, it is seemingly the beginning of fostering the seeds of fascism, violence and revolt; in complete violation of the spirit of tolerance, freedom and understanding the aspirations of the people of Punjab. It not only signals Kejriwal’s utter disregard for the defined political objectives of Punjab; it also sadly exposes his anti-Sikh mindset.

It is apparently a blatant attempt of Mr. Arvind Kejriwal to communicate a loud message to the Sikh community that they are no more relevant or a force to recon with, on the political landscape of Punjab.

As for as my memory serves, it is for the first time since 1966 that any political party, so disdainfully dared to ignore the geopolitical positioning and concerns of the aspirational Sikh community, with special reference to the value system; the Sikh community, cherish the most.

Rajya Sabha is a ‘Council of States’ as envisaged by the policy makers of exalted eminence, eminent jurists and the peers of who framed the constitution of India. Rajya Sabha, the ‘Council of States’ is the second most important chamber of the legislature, in a bicameral parliamentary system, where the vital issues, confronting the State’s interests could be highlighted and logically articulated. Punjab has so many unsettled issues, pending since November 1966.

Chandigarh, which was built as capital of Punjab by uprooting Punjabi speaking villages, continues to be a disputed ‘Union Territory’ since November 1966.  The river water sharing dispute with Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi and Punjab farmer’s pending issues such as to make statutory provision for MSP, are some of the burning issues that will entail calibrated debates in the Parliament (Rajya Sabha) in the nearest future.  

On March 24, the last day of withdrawing nomination papers for Rajya Sabha Election Punjab 2022, today, no candidate withdrew nominations. Thus, all the five candidates, who had filed nominations for Biennial Election have been declared the winners unopposed.

Giving further details, Returning Officer-cum-Secretary, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Mr. Surinder Pal said that the biennial election process for the Rajya Sabha Punjab 2022 was being carried out under the supervision of Punjab Chief Electoral Officer S. Karuna Raju, who had been appointed Observer by the Election Commission of India.

He further divulged that as no candidate withdrew his nomination paper up till the last day of withdrawal till 3:00 PM on March 24, 2022, Sandeep Kumar Pathak and Raghav Chadha (first cycle), Harbhajan Singh, Ashok Mittal and Sanjeev Arora (second cycle) were declared winner unopposed. A report in this regard has been sent to the Election Commission of India, he added.

The hush-hush selection affairs of all the pigeon-holed five candidates, selected in a top-secret manner by the Aam Aadmi Party, to represent Punjab in Rajya Sabha, does not qualify and measure up to the expectation of the people of Punjab. It amounts to a colossal betrayal of the vital interests of Punjab and spells doom for the future of Punjab, as was cynically expected from Mr. Kejriwal.

The Machiavellian clever moves of Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, has already reduced the stature of the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Bhagwant Mann as that of a puppet Chief Minister; which is certainly not a happy situation for Punjab to rejoice anymore.