Jalandhar byelection: Diaspora showing little enthusiasm

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, April 28

Even as Jalandhar is the most prominent NRI hub of Punjab, diaspora has not shown any enthusiasm in the Lok Sabha bypoll scheduled for May 10 here.

Most NRIs have already left Punjab with the start of the summer season. However, the reality is that they are not keen about the outcome and are not in favour of any particular candidate or a party this time.

No hope from govts

Punjabi diaspora does not want to play any part in the Jalandhar Lok Sabha byelection. Unlike their major involvement in the 2014 parliamentary and the 2017 Assembly elections, the Punjabi NRIs appear to be silent this time. They hardly have any hope left from the governments back home. — Satnam Singh Chahal, Executive director, NAPA

“If at all the NRIs are participating, it is only for their personal relations. The NRIs have no expectation from any party, not even the ruling AAP for whom they had created a wave previously. Their enthusiasm has died out and they have no hopes of even any collective advantage from any leader now. The “NRI Milnis” that NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal organised about four months ago have not helped them in any way,” said Pritam Singh Narangpuri, former president, NRI Sabha, Punjab.

While earlier parties used to appoint office-bearers of their offshore committees in Canada, US, UK and other countries and would also involve them in some political activities, this trend too has died out.

Executive director, North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), Satnam Singh Chahal, said, “Leave aside funding, the Punjabi diaspora does not want to play any part in the Jalandhar Lok Sabha byelection. Unlike their major involvement in the 2014 parliamentary and the 2017 Assembly elections, the Punjabi NRIs appear to be silent this time.”