JALANDHAR: Hinting at attempting new socio-political engineering, BJP’s Punjab unit organising secretary Dinesh Kumar has said mainly Jat Sikhs had been dominating politically in the state till now and what happened in Haryana politics could be replicated here. He said that 82% (non-Jats) had not got proper share in power.
When asked how the BJP intended to expand in Punjab when there was such strong opposition to it due to the farm laws, he replied, “When it became Jat versus all others in Haryana, BJP formed the government. If this can happen in Haryana (where Jats dominated politically and most CMs were also Jats), Punjab is not any different. Here also, 82% not-Jat Sikhs have never got an opportunity to have proper share in power.” He claimed that many in Congress were ready to switch to BJP and were just waiting for the current agitation to end.
“We are being told that as we don’t have a prominent Sikh face then how can we move ahead in Punjab. But we don’t need a Sikh face. Akali Dal, Congress and AAP will give one (a Jat Sikh face). BJP is a party with people from sarv samaaj (all sections) and anybody can be made a leader. For us all options are open. We have Jat Sikhs and other Sikhs too and they are our prominent office-bearers,” Kumar told TOI on Wednesday.
“Till now, only Jat Sikhs have been ruling in the state, as only they have become chief ministers. They did not give respectable (power) share to others. We have Sikhs and Jat Sikhs too in the party, and our approach is inclusive,” he said. About the party’s plans ahead, he said the party had given a very respectable place to Dalits and they would join in big numbers soon.
To a query regarding the party’s expansion plan as it was active in just 20% of the total assembly seats in Punjab, he replied, “Society thinks in several ways... when there is oppression, polarisation also happens... we are taking all people along, including Jat Sikhs.”
Kumar also claimed that a big section in Punjab Congress which was opposed to Captain Amarinder Singh were ready to join BJP. Asked if it was still the case despite farmers agitation, he asserted, “They are still ready to join us and just want the agitation to get over.” He also asserted that the current agitation was not of the farmers but of the Congress.