Political parties in Punjab have locked their horns on the issue of building memorials. Arch rival Congress and the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) are on the same pedestal demanding the construction of a ‘Peace Memorial’ in the memory of over 25,000 innocent people killed during militancy era in Punjab.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), on the other hand, has rubbished any such demand by claiming that a Peace Memorial would in fact have anti-peaceful effect in the State and may result in deteriorating law and order in Punjab.
The assertion comes at a time when the SAD-led Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee courted a controversy of Operation Bluestar, built inside the Golden Temple, where pictures of dreaded militant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale were displayed.
Also, the move of the SAD-led Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) was also criticized for building a memorial inside
Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib in the memory of victims of 1984 riots.
In its fight on the issue of building memorials, the Congress too is apparently trying to woo the Sikh voters, claiming that 90 per cent of the victims in militancy era were Sikhs.
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa has sought clarification from Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on how a peace memorial could affect state’s peace and communal harmony.
Bajwa has also asked SAD’s ally, BJP, to also make clear its stand on whom the party was supporting.
“We are not raising any ifs and buts on the two controversial memorials the SAD has erected. But, would like to ask Badal why does not he come up with a memorial dedicated to the 25-30 thousand Punjabis, hailing from all communities, all political parties,” said Bajwa.
He added, “This is what the situation demands. If other memorial can be erected, why not a peace memorialIJ”
Bajwa asked the Akali leadership to find a place where the memorial can be erected. He also called in to have an all-party meeting on the issue. “let we give across the message that Punjab is a secular state,” he added.
The demand for raising the peace memorial had been raised by Bajwa recently and the same had been echoed by his BJP state president Kamal Sharma.
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Terming Modi a “communal fascist”, Bajwa said that he was known for his anti-minority stand. “It is a game plan of the BJP to have a communal divide across India, and to start with, they strategically choose the border of two sensitive states, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, for holding the rally. This would be a signal to forces in Punjab,” added Bajwa.