The Great Basanti Hype: Manpreet Badal and the Punjab People’s Party
Call me a hater, but I am just not that excited. Despite the exuberance of some of my fellow langa(w)riters, I am not convinced.
Don’t get me wrong, one of the worst leeches that have siphoned the blood, resources, and morale of the Panth for far too long is the Family Badal.
While state coffers are in ruins and the once mighty land of five rivers finds itself facing ecological (decreasing water table and poisoned through pesticides) and social disasters (drugs and sex-selective abortion, immediately come to mind), the upcoming 2012 elections will be the most expensive show-down in the state’s history. With the anti-incumbency trend so powerful (nobody ever explores this phenomenon, but it is the travesty of Punjab, where you kick the ruling party out, not too support the opposition, but merely hoping for a ‘slight’ improvement), most are predicting a Congress victory.
In no small part this will be due to in-fighting within the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal. As Parkash Badal has turned the once Panthic Shiromani Akali Dal into a “Punjabi party” that is really nothing more than his own fiefdom for his patronage networks, public disapproval is on the rise. The people in Punjab are asking if their situation has improved over the past 5 years. Increasingly, they are saying no.
The greatest hope (or hype) about the upcoming elections is seen in Manpreet Badal’s Punjab People’s Party. Manpreet (Parkash Badal’s nephew) was thrown out of the party due to taking openly critical positions. Many youth are energized, as they see the PPP as a step towards a new future. Even in the diaspora, people (including my own father!) are excited, as I haven’t seen in years.
Still I am not convinced. If support of Manpreet is understood to be a vote against Parkash Badal, I am all for it. I am no fan of the Congress Party, but such is the political realities of Punjab. If Manpreet’s PPP is able to garner enough votes to be a viable third party in Punjab, I will be excited, not so much for their victory, but the possibility of opening Punjab politics beyond the current 2 party show (the BJP is a sort of sideshow) and will hopefully make alternative grassroots groups possible.
The actual website for the PPP shows no agenda yet, but Manpreet’s personal blog (seems a rather odd place, for a person pushing for a non-individual focused agenda) does have a constitution. Some of his comments are worthy – not so much or the future of the state – but just to create outrage and show the people how they have been robbed.
Let us share the details about our properties, our security expenditure, our health expenditure borne by state, our foreign trip expenditure borne by state, the expenditure of our personal homes borne by state to name only a few. Let, they who dare to blame me, come and share these details. I wait for them. [website]
The biggest focus on the current PPP website is on the name. It is one that Manpreet seems particularly proud of, claiming:
In its functioning, People’s Party of Punjab, will live up to its name. The functioning of this political party would solely be governed by meritocracy. All decisions would be based on consensus. No individual, whatever his position in party hierarchy may be, can ride roughshod over the views of other party members. Party workers, its cadre and its faithful supporters all would have an opportunity to express their views, with an assurance that their advise/suggestions/grievances would be carefully listened to. To quote an ancient Athenian statesman, “instead of looking on discussion as a stumbling-block in the way of action, we think it an indispensable preliminary to any wise action at all.” [website]
In my opinion, this paragraph says it all. The fact that the website is in English AND even the name of the party is in English demonstrates that there is very little connection to the actual people of Punjab. One wonders who is intended audience really is? Does he even know his constituency? Anytime I have seen him on television, I always note that his Punjabi has almost as English as mine!!
His reference to an “Athenian statesman” and mentions of Plato also indicate his inspirations and how they are very different than that of his constituency. In the very land of Five Rivers given life by the blood and Bani of our Gurus and even created in its current form by the backs of the Sikhs, there is no mention of the Gurus. There is no inspiration from Sikh figures; there is no mention of our own forms of democracy – the Sarbat Khalsa. All we get are Athenian statesman and a few trite odes to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev. When did Bhagat Singh’s image come to shine brighter than the Panth’s true heroes?
While the agenda of the party seems to some positive policies, it is reformist, not revolutionary. This is not a Kesri revolution, but rather a ‘basanti’ (this is the color he has picked for his party) reform. So again, in today’s situation in Punjab, while I would consider voting for Manpreet as a protest against both the Congress and the fiefdom of Parkash Badal, it would not be because I am excited about true changes and reforms.
As I stated in a previous post following the Congress Party’s victory in the Center in 2009:
There is still much time between 2009 and the 2012 election for the Punjab Legislative Assembly. If the Lok Sabha election is an indication of the political winds, then the cyclical process will continue and hand the SAD a striking loss. Such would be good as it is only in defeat and in disarray that calls against Badal’s hegemony will be sounded. In fact the SAD mimics a “panthic” Party only as the opposition, never when in power.[link]
True change for the political state of the Panth has to be gained through victories in the SGPC. This is where it is possible and this is where the grassroots change can occur. Victories will be silent and not happen overnight.
So while I will applaud Parkash Badal’s loss, I can’t help but think – In a pool of poor choices, this may be the least poor. Still, it is NOTHING to get excited about (in fact, that is the tragedy)!
18 Responses to “The Great Basanti Hype: Manpreet Badal and the Punjab People’s Party”
"There is no inspiration from Sikh figures; there is no mention of our own forms of democracy – the Sarbat Khalsa."
That's the point; he's differentiating himself from the Akali Dal, which always draws on Sikh history and Sikh figures to garner votes.
His PPP, as far as I'm aware, doesn't attempt to use Sikhism as means to get votes because it's not an explicitly religious party like the Akali Dal.
This is probably a good thing considering the fact that the Akali Dal has, since 1947, done virtually nothing for Sikhs or Sikhism while constantly painting themselves as defenders of the faith.
On paper at least, the PPP is a breath of fresh air.
(Just for the record, I don't particularly care for Manpreet Badal or the PPP).
Thanks,
Muzumdar
Understood Muzumdar, but in the land of Punjab to select only for 'secular' figures in a very narrow sense of the word, can only be limiting. One can embrace numerous heroes, beyond a particular group. Otherwise all you have are communists (or rather those that the Communists have white-washed).
What? Why is selecting secular figures 'limiting'?
If anything, it would make a refreshing change from the status quo – a secular social democrat working to address the issues you raised can only be a good thing.
Not sure I get what you're saying about communists, you know you can be secular without being a communist.
Thanks.
Mazumdar,
I completely agree that you can be secular without being a communist. In fact, one can be secular while embracing religion as well. I guess that is my point. There are no binaries. Manpreet's choice suggests that he thinks there are. The reason I feel it is limiting is because in Punjab outside of the Ghadar movements (and to read no religious feelings even there is a narrow understanding of the Ghadar Party – the late Jagjit Singh wrote one of the most powerful accounts I have ever read in Punjabi called Ghadar Lehar) who else can you celebrate?
All have celebrated Guru Gobind Singh's humanity – Muslim, Sikh, Hindu. All have even claimed Guru Nanak as theirs – Muslim, Sikh, Hindu. All lower classes – Muslim, Sikh, Hindu – rallied behind the Khalsa with Banda Singh Bahadur as jathedar. I am just against a narrow binary that is being articulated.
Finally a secular social democrat may be refreshing…but to me EVEN MORE refreshing would be anybody that is NOT an opportunist, corrupt, wanna-be despot/autocrat (read Badal Family, Capt. Amrinder Singh, or any other of the current batch here)!!
Jodha,
PPP wants to stay away from religion based politics. It seeks to take part in mainstream politics of Punjab and leave religion to religious leaders. Change can come only if credible and fresh leadership with honest approach is given a chance.
@jasdeep – I completely agree with the approach of getting the state government of Punjab out of the affairs of the SGPC. And the SGPC funds out of the hands of SAD re-election alcohol vote-buying.
My only point is that one need not run so far away either. I can still be inspired by the goals of Martin Luther King Jr. (here in the United States) with full understanding that he was a Christian minister and deeply imbued and inspired by his love of Christ. I can still embrace his movement as inspiring. It doesn't make me a Christian or a communal Christian.
My criticism is an attempt to extricate the heroes of the Panth out of Punjab's history and celebrating only Bhagat Singh – even that is a distorted view of Bhagat Singh that has been sold by his nephew for his own CPI party cred – separates him from his constituency.
@Jodha: Your criticism is valid. It would have been better if PPP sought inspiration from more local heroes, including Panthic. I like the secular character of the party. Would love if PPP can retain it and not meddle in SGPC affairs. They can start or support a separate wing with eminent religious leader in leadership role.
What is more important is that with all its blemishes, PPP remains the only mainstream party that inspires some hope. Lot of eyes are now focussed on it. It needs support of enough right thinking people to give it the luxury of marginalizing the shady characters. Shady characters have risen through ranks in all parties and threaten to take PPP over if leadership is not vigilant.
@jasdeep – I do completely support your view that the political parties should get out of the SGPC and hopefully the SGPC can get on and actually do the parchar that it was originally set up to do.
Hope seems to be the key. If the PPP can bring it, then I support it. I apologize for my skepticism (but definitely NOT cynicism!). Even here in the US we were sold hope and change in 2008 and it has been less than transformational.
Let us all well-wishers of Panjab, well-wishers of the Panth, well-wishers of South Asia, and of humanity most broadly, hope for new possibilities and a better tomorrow.
Gur Fateh!
its simple my friend…….RELIGION IS PERSONAL…..be it sikh….hindu….or even athiest
to keep politics out of religion and vice versa….Mr manpreet badal did so.. ALso Bhagat sigh and co represent a political view of social equality too…so they were but obvious choice
I am not talking about his individual religiosity. This is the point Jasmeet, instead of trying to ape a particular version of 'secularism' (French version, as opposed to American and other versions), we can create our own Punjab version. Are you going to argue, like Gandhi, that was Guru Gobind Singh Maharaj was 'misguided'? Was he communalist? Or are there alternative forms of secularism? We can expand the meaning of this word.
Sardar Ranjit Singh may be one presentation of an indigenous Punjabi secularism. We can create other ones. We need not, like Manpreet Badal ape French institutions and Greek heroes, leaving out our own true heroes and sheroes of Punjab.
In the land of 5 rivers, when you are beginning something, you first invoke the name of Waheguru at the Akal Takht. Instead Manpreet, invoked Bhagat Singh at Khatkar Kalan. As much as I detest the Congress Party and the Akali Dal Badal, Manpreet has shown no true leadership and will fall by the wayside. Soon his friends and supporters will abandon him as they never cared about him, only used him as a ploy to get better positions and nominations by the Akali Dal Badal.
We have seen this before, in a much bigger fashion. Manpreet Badal and his PPP have nothing compared to the support Simranjeet Singh Mann and other Panthic nominees enjoyed in 1989. Simranjeet Singh Mann either colluded with the GOI or never understood his constituency. The people voted for what he represented, not for him as a person. He never realized this and has fallen by the wayside in Punjabi history as he deserved. Manpreet too, doesn't understand the ethos of Punjab, and like many others that had far more support than he ever enjoyed, he too will fall by the wayside.
We need a third path. Unfortunately, he is not it.
Most of these parties that are emerging in various states are nothing but payroll of congress or its opposite.Mainly it is the congress that create these parties so opposition votes get divided.Here is an example a well known Telugu actor Chiranjeevi created a Party PRP by saying it is against the misrule of congress in 2008 ,as usual the strategy was sucessful and opposition votes got split in both assemble as well as Lok sabha election .He also sold tickets at very good price .In 2011 He merged his party with congress .Similarly after seeing a rift in thackerey family congress promoted Raj thackerey who considered himself as successor of Bal thackerey.He proved himself more lingustic fanatic by attacking UP Bihari people and congress gave him full freedom.as usual the strategy was successful and Shiv sena-BJP combined lost both assemble and LOK sabha election.
I am also quite sure that manpreet will eat some of Akali or congress votes and later on he will ally himself who has more seats.
. . . Even in the diaspora, people (including my own father!) are excited, as I haven’t seen in years." My guess is he is more hopeful this time than excited. Like you Jodha I am not that excited either, but hopeful indeed. If nothing else and Manpreet sticks to his utterances he uttered so far within and without the so called inner circle quoting Sikh heroes or others, unable to speak a folksy Punjabi but seemingly making sense to most Punjabis who care to listen, will go down in history as the one who dared to stand up to the juggernaght and say STOP! (Besides heroes have one common mission and that is the "Sarbat da Bhalla" no particular religion or geographic boundaries.) Manpreet may not be able to stop this juggernaught which took years in the making, gather mass and momentum but he can pave the heroic way by opening a dialogue to alter its course. Without him riding the juggernaught, willing or unwilling, Punjabis seem to have a choice between the devil and the deep sea. The post is very apt.
Your response Uncle Ji, is even more apt! Thank you!
You are mistaken when you write "The actual website for the PPP ".
That one is not the party website. The one you are calling his blog is the website for now.
@Narinder – So manpreetbadal.com is the 'official' party website? and peoplespartyofpunjab.co/ is nothing?
Seems a rather strange way for a person that is advocating for institution-building, beyond individuals, to get started.
vaisey, eh website vee angreji vich hai, apni peeree thalley sota phero!
[…] have shared my views on Manpreet Badal and the PPP in the past. I still stand by my analysis, but as the election draws nearer, the youth of Punjab are making […]
Though it would be nice if manpreet was inspired by Sikh idols, but our experience has been that all those who pay lip service to Sikhism only exploit the religion and give it a bad name.
Hence, at least manpreet does not sully the image of Sikhism, Sikh idols and Sikh Gurus.