UPDATED: “Stay” of Execution Announced – Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana

UPDATE: In accordance to Badal’s great game, he allowed for the bandh, but won’t let this moment fall from his bony and corrupt grasp.  He has already imprisoned all those that may possibly post a challenge to him.  Daljit Singh Bittu and others are being imprisoned throughout Punjab as we type this post.  Just as Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana said, we are getting played by these blue-turban wearers.

Signs of victories and congratulations are being issued by Sikhs on social media.  The question was not ‘if’ a stay would be announced, but ‘when.’  This is the game….

It was always going to occur. More than even the Central Govt, Badal fears the Shaheed. The Shaheed has convictions, where he has none. This is how Badal does stage management of the Sikhs – allow the kettle to boil, but not too much. Then show the Central Government that only you are the mastermind that can “control” the Sikhs, cementing your importance to them.

How to break this? Up the ante. This is my humble suggestion – Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana has showed his convictions. While we (against his wishes) circulated petitions and asked for clemency, he only asked for justice. The stage is set. If he were to begin a hunger strike for justice asking for the release of all political prisoners, the Government of India could not accede. The Punjab Government would be brought to its knees if during this hunger strike, the Sikhs converged upon Patiala.

Let us not pat our backs about the “stay.” We are being manipulated before our eyes. We have seen our potential (the amazing pictures of kesri flags throughout Punjab and even at India Gate attest to this).  However, the march must continue….

We have seen this game before.  Here was me writing about the Dera Sacha Sauda event in 2008.  Much of the stage management may sound familiar.

Seeing Through Parkash Badal’s Game

Badal as the head of the patrimonial-dynasty in Panjab has the allegiance of many coteries. It is through their allegiance to Badal that they gain political, economic, and social advantages. Rivals in the past (including the now deceased Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Jagdev Singh Talwandi, Dhindsa, etc.) have all been sidelined. Although these patrimonial-dynasties attempt to accrue benefits for their ‘banday,’ they pale in comparison to that of the Badal clique. This is the reason many that belonged to these former groups have now aligned themselves with Badal. The Congress Party functions in much the same way as those that are attached to Patiala’s Captain Amrinder Singh, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, etc.

With Badal’s political-economic base at stake, he had to make a show of force. As many of his ‘banday’ would also understand the significance of the move by Haryana’s Chief Minister and their stake in Badal maintaining his hegemonic control of the SGPC’s funds, they would have rushed to Karnal. How many would have showed up is obviously a ‘what if’ question that we will never be able to answer. However, I will surmise that it isn’t as large as Badal thinks. Inevitably Badal would then have had to move to link his issue of the SGPC with ongoing issue of Dera Sacha Sauda and its chief Ram Rahim. As Dera Sacha Sauda’s headquarters are in Haryana and he enjoys the protection of the Congress Chief Minister, for Badal to make this link would have been rather easy.

This issue still has the potential to remain explosive and Badal’s initial mobilization of his Akali Dal ‘banday’ would be the trigger for the greater Sikh masses to also rally around the cause against Ram Rahim. Badal, empowered by his ability to control the masses through manipulation of the SGPC and the Jathedar post as well as his unceremonious removal of Vedanti with the even more pliable Gurbachan Singh, has emboldened him to believe that he can continue to manipulate the situation through a combination of allowing the Sikh community’s anger and steam to begin boiling, but then applying the lid as he sees fit. This is the position that Badal has always wished to present himself to the Central Government. Thus unwittingly many other Sikh groups play into Badal’s trap. For the past three decades Badal has played this game superbly, the only exception came with the rise of Bhindranwale and the events surrounding the Ghallughara of 1984. From 1984-1997, Badal lost his footing and it was not until the Central Government decimated the Sikh youth and eliminated all opposing voices that Badal was again allowed to reassert his hegemony upon the Sikh community.

It is for community members that desire to break the grip of this boa-constrictor that they must begin to think of ways to discredit Badal and not to unwittingly help in maintaining his hegemony.