Irony of Punjabis and our 2012 Election (Part 2)

By Pashaura on Aug 14, 2011 in Discussion, Radio Show

The Ghadar Party

History repeats itself we often hear. What was witnessed here in North America during Manpreet Singh Badal’s recent visit was unusual to put it mildly. 100 years ago in 1913, Indians working in America and Canada primarily from Punjab formed a movement which began with a group of immigrants known as the Hindustani Workers of the Pacific Coast. Under the presidentship of Sohan Singh Bhakna and guidance from Lala Hardyal, it established its headquarters in San Francisco, California. This Hindustani or Indian Association later came to be better known as the Ghadar Party. The aim of the Ghadar Party was to force the British to “Quit” India after their hold on the country for 100 years, and regain the self-respect of every Indian – Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, and Atheist alike.

Not many people may be aware of the fact that having come away from India and watching Americans enjoying as a free nation, the Ghadrites were the first group of Indians who had dreamt the dream of freeing India some 15 years before the Indian Congress passed its resolution in 1928 to the same effect. Their dream was to set up a national democratic government on the sub-continent similar to the federal system of the United States of America.

Coming from enslaved India a century ago in 1913 and being so few in numbers as workers in America, they kept their meetings secret yet they all gathered together in these same cities in California to rally support amongst their countrymen. How the Ghadrites did what they did and became such catalysts in the wider struggle to free India is a history now! And because of their sacrifices we are not only free in India, we are also free in America as NRIs and proud Sikh Americans, playing full part in making this country the best place to live.

View Irony of Punjabis and Our 2012 Election (Part 2)

Unlike other patriotic blessing seekers, political or otherwise, the President of his brand new Peoples Party of Punjab did not appear to be satisfied to stop it there after launching his campaign in Khatkar Kalan. He came all the way to California where it all began in 1912. Almost 100 years later in the same cities of California, rallies attended in large numbers by NRIs for him were held to invoke the same patriotic dream and bring back memories of change at home as envisaged by the Ghadrites.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s message on the hill started with the words, “I have a dream.” Manpreet Singh Badal blended this optimism with the reality on the ground. He appeared as if to say, “Looking from above as an ex-Finance Minister of Punjab, I see a nightmare unfolding! A nightmare of ever increasing debt on the people of Punjab, and shattering the hopes for generations to come if we do not alter our course. But, I also have a dream: of redefiniing the meaning of “progress” for all Punjabis and not only a selected few, establishing rule of law vital for restructuring a more efficent, productive, and positive Punjab!”

Expanding on his brief experience in the ruling party, SAD (Shiromani Akali Dal), a scenario was presented by him and his co speakers which appeared to resound extremely well with the NRIs here. A scenario that the successive governments chose the wrong plan where the ‘aam aadmi’ lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity by a selected few. The gulf between the rich and the poor is drifting our community further and further apart. Our real investment for the future i.e. in education is in shambles. The greed and corruption at high places goes unabated. The rallying cry was to cajole and beg the NRIs not for the monetary help but for their understanding and thereby motivating their near and dear ones back in Punjab to understand the power of the ballot paper and what is at stake this time. To sacrifice the meaningless ‘bakhsheeshs’ and petty handouts from the rich candidates and their handlers and look at the big picture; To come out in large numbers to vote for the PPP and liberate Punjabis from the ever growing clutches of the autocratic and greedy politicians and to help in establishing the rule of law in the forthcoming Assembly Elections of 2012.

This sounds great. And is as welcome a cry for the right change after 65 years of our own rule or misrule, as it is ironic. The irony being rallying NRIs asking for their support to ousting our own brothers from power at home, elected by our own people and not ousting the British Colonizers who rule over us this time. Good news is that the weapons being sharpened this time are educating and arming the voters with facts. Educate them in making them aware to exercise their right to vote who they really wish on merits, not under pressure. And demanding free and fair elections as may never have happened before ; not by taking up arms as was the dire necessity of the Ghadrites to oust the foreign rulers at that time.

Finally the picture that emerges from all of this is the ‘aam aadmi’ and whatever is left of the five rivers and its land are already struggling for their survival. By upping the ante for accountability, transparency and the rule of law for its dinosauriasly greedy political system, the associated leadership and the bureaucracy in serving its people, Manpreet is raising the temperature under the belly of the beast. Being top heavy either the beast will be wiped out like the historic dinosaur or it will shed its weight and adapt to remain relevant to the rest of the living creatures in Punjab.

This is not too much to ask from a civilized and democratic society such as ours. Since we have to go a long way perhaps taking some U turns, I may not feel very excited about this new phenomenon that is unfolding, but I am very hopeful about the outcome. Below is a poem I wrote and sang live on KBIF 900AM “Punjab News and Views,” a weekly radio show I co-host, which sums up my thoughts on the subject.