07 May 2014, 12:00 PM IST
In a state where flaunting the political status has remained too obvious when even a small time local leader of SAD, BJP or Congress can have a "party designation plate" above the registration number of his vehicle, suddenly "jharu pheria" (pressed the button of AAP election symbol jharu during voting) has become the latest symbol of expression of political correctness.
"Jharu pher aaien haan" (I have used the broom for cleaning) in place of saying I voted for AAP has become the commonest answer when people are asked to whom they voted for. In fact the use of this expression "jharu pher aaian", also reflects the angst and defiance apart from just showing the political correctness.
As Congress is out of power for the last seven years it was the affiliation to any of the two ruling parties SAD-BJP which, till a week back, was considered a matter of pride. Several cars would bear the big stickers of YAD (Youth Akali Dal) — which is headed by Punjab revenue minister and SAD president Sukhbir Badal's brother in law Bikram Singh Majithia. For several youths who have nothing to do with ideology of Akali Dal — which oscillates between secular and Panthic identities — flaunting their affiliation to the YAD on the windscreens of their cars would mean that these vehicles should not be stopped by police and even these are stopped the cops on duty should realize that those inside the vehicle have to be treated differently.
While the affiliations of the workers of the political parties were never hidden and they would also wear their affiliation on their chest but the apolitical commoners would never disclose so loudly to whom they supported and voted. However this time people have been telling with pride since the polling day — April 30 that they voted for 'jharu' and rarely you find persons who would tell you proudly that they voted for SAD-BJP or Congress. On social media also the supporters of the latter parties just posted their selfies with inked finger but several of those voted for AAP declared it proudly and loudly that they voted for 'jharu'.
Even as results will be out on May 16 but you need not be a psephologist to know that the new political party has received a big response in the election both in urban and rural areas of Punjab.
'Jharu' is latest symbol of political correctness in Punjab and amid this "correctness" and you find very few voices or posts who can dare to claim so loudly and proudly that they preferred the "incorrect" and you hear very few voices revealing that they voted for Panja (Congress) or Takdi (SAD) or Phul (BJP). In Punjab even Modi bhakts make it a point to tell that they voted for Modi only and not for SAD.
In the state where political vendetta is the most commonly used word in the last 12 years this time it seems to be expression of Vendetta by the people, even as they don't control the men in Khaki, against the doings of the established political class. And there is a context to it.
If SAD-BJP alliance was accused of patronizing Sand mafia, Drug Mafia, corruption only increased and rates of bribes went high in the last seven years, corrupt police officials would get plum postings. Along with white sand another white substance "Chitta" as it is referred in common parlance for white drug powder also weighed heavily in public mind notwithstanding the efforts of rulers to issue "clean chits" to its leaders after the synthetic drug racket came to light and names of some prominent politicians also emerged.
However Congress hardly played its role of an effective opposition beyond customary statement issuing exercise though its leaders were busy in opposing each other even till elections. They thought they would return to power after five years in 2012 without sweating it out on streets as was the pattern in the state but that did not happen and SAD-BJP returned to power with Badals emerging as formidable rulers. They would return to the roads, streets and dharns only near elections.
Former Congress chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, who has the distinction of leading two rebellions against her party CMs and once even managing to take away the Chair was seen best as an opposition leader when she would take jibes on another former CM in the party — Captain Amarinder Singh. Latter would take pot shots on current PPCCC president and "self proclaimed would be CM " Partap Singh Bajwa. Former MP and a very good orators Jagmeet Singh Brar, who contested over half dozen elections against Badal family, preferred to go on a pilgrimage tour after elections were announced. These seniors left task of opposition to much younger PPCC spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira. Meanwhile SAD president and Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had started poaching on Congress leaders to further weaken the "opposition" and trend continued after the elections were announced. Some leaders who enjoyed the reputation of being corrupt were really never sidelined in the party and they still remained the faces of the party and dynastic politics only increasing in every election.
BJP which from 2007 to 2011 played the role of internal opposition appeared playing second fiddle to SAD even as its own cadres expected it to stand up and oppose the wrongs of the Badal-Majithia combo. The party leadership allowed the first political family of the state to humiliate its most vocal MP Navjot Sidhu who exhibited the guts to speak and then worked over time for denial of ticket to him. Party cadres faced dilemma to choose between Modi and Majithia but for them there was no second option as both of them were standing on the same side. The fight was between two waves — of Modi and Majithia — if one believed the Modi bhakts and Badals that Modi wave was blowing in Punjab.
It is against this backdrop where people are angry with ruling party and its junior partner and the opposition which has also been failing the people and taking them for granted that "jharu" has emerged as the sign of defiance and political correctness.
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