Sikhs have forgiven Congress: Ex-CM Charanjit Singh Channi
Chandigarh, June 15
Newly elected Congress MP from Jalandhar and former Congress Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi in an exclusive interview with Jupinderjit Singh and Rajmeet Singh for a brand new video show from The Tribune’s multimedia stables called ‘Decode Punjab’, spoke on the evolving politics in the state — on the BJP’s fast-growing presence in the state, on Congress’ infighting and on the election of Sikh radicals from Khadoor Sahib and Faridkot.
Q. After the 2022 Assembly election debacle, did you expect a big win in the Lok Sabha elections?
A. By the time I got the opportunity to serve the state as Chief Minister for 111 days, people had already made up their minds for badlav (change) as the AAP had created an illusionary pitch that they were great revolutionaries. People were under the wrong impression that the AAP would bring a much-hyped badlav. We had no alternative to this pitch of illusionary badlav. However, the AAP was unable to solve the issues they had raised. People gave me a big mandate due to AAP’s bad performance and my tenure of 111 days.
Q. What were the mistakes/reasons for your 2022 debacle? Did you introspect and improve upon it?
A. We had the anti-incumbency of four-and-a-half years of Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in our cradle. People’s mood was for change. People were attracted by the slogans for badlav. They said they had seen the Akalis and the Congress, now they wanted change. But people have realised that the AAP has failed to perform. They have withdrawn from the AAP and voted for the Congress.
Q. Did infighting contribute to the Congress debacle in 2022?
A. Sunil Jakhar played a very damaging role. He was a traitor as he had already met BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. When he was in the Congress, he gave a damaging statement that being a Hindu he was not made the Chief Minister. It was false. Now, Ravneet Bittu, who lost the Lok Sabha election from Ludhiana, has been made a Union Minister but Jakhar being the Punjab BJP chief should have been accommodated. He was a senior leader. But he has not given a statement that he has been ignored for a ministerial berth being a Hindu, while a Sikh has been made.
Q. Navjot Singh Sidhu is accused of dividing the party. What role does he have in the party? What is his future?
A. Everyone knows about the role Sidhu played. I do not want to comment on it. But I want to say one thing, just like a relative who does not come to attend your marriage functions, what is the use of a political person if he does not campaign for the party in elections?
Q. Who is the leader of the Punjab Congress at present? How do you see your role in the Punjab Congress now and for the 2027 Assembly elections?
A. There is no question about who is the leader. Raja Warring is the state party chief, Partap Bajwa is the CLP leader and I am a former Chief Minister. We all are performing the roles given to us by the party. There is no issue of who is the leader, everyone is the leader in the given role. After being elected as an MP, I will act as an Opposition leader. I have to represent Punjab and Jalandhar in Parliament and I will do it with all sincerity and energy. I have never run away from my role as a former Chief Minister. I speak whenever required. We all highlighted the mistakes and non-fulfilment of promises by the AAP. We have results in front of us.
Q. You played an important role in dethroning Capt Amarinder Singh. How do you rate him as a leader?
A. He was a good leader and this was the reason we kept on electing him. But everyone has his age and time. Now, he is old and he may not devote the same time to politics.
Q. Do you think there is a vacuum of leadership in the party? It is still searching for its leader in the state?
A. There is no vacuum of leadership in the party. It is not about becoming the Chief Minister. Everyone should work as a team. The Congress can never be defeated if it works as a team. In 2022 the teamwork was missing as people like Sunil Jakhar played a negative role. Faces were always there and would be there in the future. But people with self-interest damage the party’s ideology and people reject such leaders. The potential of a leader is known during performance. When I was made Chief Minister for 111 days, people asked me what he would do, but later they said what to do with him. There were many conspiracies against me. But the people have repaid our performance in the Lok Sabha elections. PPC chief Amarinder Raja Warring and CLP leader Partap Bajwa and former Deputy CM Sukhjinder Randhawa are performing in their ways.
Q. Other parties claim that you won because of votes garnered from different deras?
A. It is wrong to say so. Every section of society, be it farmers, shopkeepers, poor persons or salaries, voted for me because of my performance as the Chief Minister for 111 days. Both the AAP and the BJP have been rejected for their anti-farmer, anti-businessmen and anti-poor policies. All the deras had asked their followers to use their discretion in voting. Prices of sand had increased manifold due to illegal mining along rivers, the problem of drugs is at its peak and the financial position of the state has gone for a toss. I have made videos on illegal mining but no action has been taken. The AAP Government is sleeping over people’s issues. They got three Parliament seats because of the mistakes the party made, otherwise they would have been in our kitty.
Q. Is it the failure of the AAP Government to control the illegal sand mining, drug menace and law and order situation or is political patronage behind it?
A. Those giving shelter get involved with the mafia. However, the party leader should have the ability to run the state. I have always said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is still running the stage (as an artist) not the state. He should step down and give the reins to someone else to run the state, as he does not have the ability.
Q. How do you see the role of the BJP and the Akalis in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, especially from the polarisation of votes?
A. The BJP has tried to spew poison in the state to divide the communities. They have resorted to sectarianism by trying to divide the Hindu and Dalit votes. But they have not been successful as people have rejected their policy of divide and rule. Cutting across religion and caste lines, Punjabis have collectively rejected the BJP’s ideology. But voters gave them a befitting reply. They did not give them any seats so that there was no division in the communities. They also lured people with money and rations, but people still rejected them.
Q. The Congress did not ally with the AAP in Punjab due to the registration of cases against several Congressmen. You said all corruption cases were political vendetta. Is there a future for this alliance?
A. See, neither they accept this alliance in Punjab nor do we. It is simple. Both the AAP and the BJP are the same. They adopt arm-twisting tactics to achieve their objectives. The BJP misuses the Enforcement Directorate (ED) while the Punjab AAP misuses the Vigilance Department. But people have rejected this kind of work by both parties. Let’s see if they again resort to the same means now or not. I feel they will continue with their old strategy. But they will suffer more losses by treading the same path.
Q. This election has also seen victories of Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa—the son of an assassin of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi—and a self-styled Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh. What do these results mean for Punjab?
A. There is no meaning. I feel we should not relate Khalsa’s victory to his past. A candidate has his calibre, and promise and works to seek votes. We should accept a democratically elected person. If someone has some evil plans, those would be known in due time and the public will not forgive them. For instance, Khalsa was just a small boy when all that happened. We should wait and see what are his plans and where he tries to take society. We will stand against him if he takes a negative path.
Q. The Congress still faces the allegation of causing Operation Bluestar and anti-Sikh riots, yet the party got seats from the state. How do you explain that?
A. A party’s policy depends on the leaders of a given time. It does not mean that if one leader made a mistake, the next one will also repeat it. So, we condemn Operation Bluestar and have sought forgiveness from the people. Even Rahul Gandhi pays regular obeisance at the Golden Temple and cleans shoes. The Congress had made mistakes earlier. However, the BJP is committing mistakes in the present time. Their leaders are pursuing divisive policies. The Congress made mistakes earlier and has apologised and sought forgiveness many times. The Sikh community is bakshanhaar (large-hearted). It has forgiven the party.
Q. What is the game plan of the BJP for Punjab?
A. See, no one can say what is in the heart of a person. But this is sure, that in the last ten years of BJP rule, it has tried to destroy the farming sector which is the backbone of Punjab’s economy. The Centre is not lifting the farmer’s produce in time, so the farmer stops sowing those. Our Chief Minister is not the Chief Minister of Punjab. He is a tool in the hands of Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP can dethrone Bhagwant Mann at any time. He doesn’t have the support of even five MLAs. The BJP is waiting for the right time.
