Latest news with #Sikh-majority
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Old rivals Cong and SAD in disarray in Punjab, as AAP and BJP turn into cohesive units
Jalandhar: Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which have dominated the political landscape of Punjab for over six decades and the oldest political parties of the country, are in disarray in the state, even as latest entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and BJP , which was once a smaller party in the state, are making the most of being organised. Just after the results of the Ludhiana West byelection, Punjab Congress leaders are already peeling off the veneer of unity, while SAD is showing little signs of recovering lost ground. All four parties are ideologically separate. BJP is a right-wing party, AAP now appears as a centrist party displaying flexibility in ideological positioning, Congress is left of the centre, and SAD is panthic. However, while AAP and BJP are acting as cohesive election machines with imaginative ideas, SAD and Congress are still caught in old templates and internal contradictions in the only Sikh-majority state of the country. If AAP, just after its birth, was an instant hit in Punjab in the 2014 parliamentary elections due to disenchantment among people with the SAD-BJP alliance and Congress, BJP became the biggest party in the country in the 2014 elections, but its space in Punjab was of the fourth player. Both parties gained immensely from Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement. AAP was, in fact, born out of it, and BJP capitalised on the vacuum created by the movement that discredited Congress. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo In its initial phase, AAP primarily gained from the disenchantment of a considerable section of the Sikh electorate with SAD leadership by smartly playing the Sikh card and later damaged Congress as well. BJP leaders started aspiring and articulating for a bigger role after 2014, but the demography of Punjab remained its biggest challenge. After it came into its own in Punjab following the breakup with SAD in 2020, it lost some ground to AAP in the 2022 assembly elections. However, in the 2024 parliamentary elections, BJP not only recovered that ground, but also ate into Congress's support base among upper-caste Hindus and became the third player in vote share. SAD and Congress have remained traditional rivals, and the cataclysmic events of 1984 still take the bitterness between the two several notches higher. Sikhs hated Congress the most, and for them, Congress was anything but secular, especially after its leaders and workers carried out the massacre of Nov 1984, and later the perpetrators were protected and patronised by its govts. The weakening of SAD has given strength to AAP, which the latter has used to damage Congress. Both Congress and AAP have a common constituency — a wide base across communities and castes. For now, Sikhs remain more apprehensive of BJP, and even its former ally SAD has been accusing it of interference in Sikh institutions and taking their control outside Punjab. This apprehension played a major role in the 2024 parliamentary elections and worked in favour of Congress, contributing to it getting seven out of 13 seats. For the grand-old party, it is crucial that its old rival, whichever faction, regains strength and that could weaken AAP. Quite a few Congress leaders have openly wished well for SAD in the past months, though not necessarily for electoral reasons but for being the only regional party of the state and representing the Sikhs. BJP state president Sunil Jakhar has also been saying that SAD should stay strong. If the Sikh political space remains fractured and fluid, Congress also remains riddled with factionalism and other serious challenges. Despite the damage AAP is causing to them, SAD and Congress are being pulled down more by internal contradictions and weaknesses.
Business Recorder
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Canada's Sikhs voice outrage over Modi G7 invitation
TORONTO: Members of Canada's Sikh community who were warned by police that their lives were at risk and allege the Indian government is responsible for the threat are incensed by Ottawa's invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit in Alberta. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney invited Modi, although India is not a G7 member, to attend the summit that starts on Sunday as a guest. It will be Modi's first visit to Canada in a decade and a diplomatic test for Carney, a political neophyte. Canada's relationship with India has been tense since former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2023 accused India's government of involvement in the June 18, 2023, murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader in Canada. Modi's government has denied involvement in Nijjar's killing and has accused Canada of providing a safe haven for Sikh separatists. ''Outrage' is the kind of term that I've heard from people,' Sikh activist Moninder Singh, a friend of Nijjar, said of the invitation. India pushes 'legal action' after US murder plot He and other Sikh leaders plan to hold a protest in Ottawa on Saturday. Carney, locked in a trade war with the United States, is trying to shore up alliances elsewhere and diversify Canada's exports. Carney told reporters he invited India due to its importance in global supply chains. India's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a Thursday press briefing that a meeting between Modi and Carney 'will offer an important opportunity for them to exchange views on bilateral and global issues and explore pathways to set or reset the relationship.' Sikhs face threats That rationale rings hollow for Singh, who lives in British Columbia. He has received multiple warnings from police that his life was at risk. One such warning forced him from his home for months in 2023 for his children's safety. 'On a personal level, and on a community level, as well, it was deeply insulting … Sikh lives aren't as important as the fifth-largest economy in the world that needs to be at the table,' he said. A spokesperson for Carney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in October they had communicated more than a dozen threats to people like Singh who are advocating for the creation of a Sikh homeland carved out of India. In October, under Trudeau, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, linking them to Nijjar's murder and alleging a broader government effort to target Indian dissidents in Canada through killings, extortion, use of organized crime and clandestine information-gathering. India retaliated by ordering the expulsion of six Canadian diplomats and called the allegations preposterous and politically motivated. Canada has said it does not have evidence linking Modi to the threats. The tension has thrust Canada's Sikh community - the largest outside India's Sikh-majority Punjab state - into the spotlight. Singh said there should have been conditions on Modi's invitation. 'Any meetings with them should have been under the conditions that Mr. Modi and his government would take responsibility for what has been uncovered and cooperate, but none of that happened.' Carney told reporters Modi had agreed to 'law enforcement dialogue.' Jaiswal said Indian and Canadian law enforcement agencies will continue to cooperate in some ways. Some activists and politicians in Canada have accused Carney of putting economic issues ahead of human rights concerns. But Sanjay Ruparelia, a Toronto Metropolitan University politics professor, said the prime minister is simply being practical. '(Carney's) watchword since he's come to office is pragmatism. And this is very much a pragmatic, realpolitik decision.'
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
01-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
History Today: When India's Operation Blue Star began at Amritsar's Golden Temple
On June 1, 1984, the Indian Army launched Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple on orders from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The operation targeted militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was pushing for an independent Sikh-majority nation in Punjab, known as Khalistan. The first exchange of gunfire during the assault took place on this day. Also on this day in 1980, Cable News Network (CNN), the world's first 24-hour television news channel, was launched by Ted Turner read more The first gunfire exchange in the assault on the Golden Temple occurred on June 1, 1984. Image: X/@SoniaLiberal On June 1, 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gave the order for 'Operation Blue Star' at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. The aim of the mission was to remove militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Over 80 soldiers and at least hundreds of pilgrims caught in the fighting lost their lives, according to government officials. At the time, Bhindranwale was a key leader in the rising separatist Khalistan movement. The anger within parts of the Sikh community over the operation reached its peak on October 31, 1984, when Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards, who held her responsible for the attack. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also on this day in 1974, the stop-choking method created by Cincinnati surgeon Henry J. Heimlich was published. Known as the Heimlich manoeuvre, it involves applying inward and upward pressure on the abdomen of choking individuals and has become the standard lifesaving technique. Further, in 1980, CNN (Cable News Network), the world's first 24-hour news channel, was launched. The network began broadcasting from its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, with a lead story about the attempted assassination of civil rights leader Vernon Jordan. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today , is your one-stop destination to explore key events. Let's take a look at the events: The launch of Operation Blue Star The Indian Army launched Operation Blue Star on June 1, 1984, following orders from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The operation took place at the Golden Temple, targeting militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. He was once the leader of the Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal and a key figure in the Khalistan separatist movement. He had taken refuge in the Harmandir Sahib Complex. Bhindranwale sought to create an independent Sikh-majority country in Punjab called Khalistan. On May 3, Major General RS Brar was called to Punjab and given command of the operation, which was code-named Operation Blue Star. The Golden Temple complex suffered extensive damage. AFP/File Photo The first gunfire exchange in the assault on the Golden Temple occurred on June 1, 1984. On June 2, speaking on All India Radio, Gandhi urged: 'don't shed blood, shed hatred,' while the military surrounded the Golden Temple complex and more than 40 other gurdwaras across Punjab. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On June 3, a 36-hour curfew was imposed in Punjab. All communication and public transport were halted, electricity lines were cut, and strict media censorship was enforced. The army began the main assault on the night of June 5. The initial goal was to neutralise the high defensive positions Bhindranwale's men had built inside the Golden Temple complex. The army believed the operation could not succeed if those positions remained. After midnight on June 6, a full-scale attack took place, including heavy gunfire and tank shells that destroyed the Akal Takht. The next day, Bhindranwale's body was found in the basement of the damaged Akal Takht, bearing multiple bullet wounds, though the exact cause of death is unclear. The Golden Temple complex suffered extensive damage. Apart from the Akal Takht, there were bullet holes in the temple, and a valuable Sikh library, along with its books, was lost to fire. The operation's impact spread beyond the immediate casualties. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The aftermath of the operation saw then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. AFP/File Photo The deep anger felt by parts of the Sikh community over the operation reached its most tragic point on October 31, 1984, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards, who held her responsible for the attack. Heimlich maneuver was published On this day in 1974, Cincinnati surgeon Henry J. Heimlich's stop-choking technique was published in the medical journal 'Emergency Medicine'. The Heimlich maneuver, which involves pressing inward and upward on the abdomen of someone who is choking, became the standard way to save lives. June 1 is now observed each year as National Heimlich Maneuver Day. Wikimedia Commons Heimlich shared his early findings in an essay titled 'Pop Goes the Cafe Coronary,' published in the June 1974 issue of the journal. The term 'Cafe Coronary syndrome' describes a situation where a person chokes while eating in a restaurant, and onlookers mistake it for a heart attack. Before Heimlich's technique, the usual medical response was a tracheostomy, which involves inserting a large needle into the windpipe to open an airway, a procedure only doctors could perform. Heimlich tested the method on four Beagle dogs, repeating the treatment over 20 times on each. The dogs responded well, which gave Heimlich confidence that the same method would help humans with blocked airways. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Over the next fifty years, the technique saved tens of thousands of lives. June 1 is now observed each year as National Heimlich Maneuver Day. CNN was launched On June 1, 1980, CNN (Cable News Network), the world's first 24-hour television news channel, was launched. The network began broadcasting from its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, with a lead story about the attempted assassination of civil rights leader Vernon Jordan. CNN changed the idea that news was only shown at set times during the day. CNN eventually became known for covering live events worldwide. Wikimedia Commons At the time, TV news in the US was dominated by three major networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC, each with a 30-minute nightly news broadcast. CNN was created by Robert 'Ted' Turner, a bold and outspoken businessman nicknamed the 'Mouth of the South.' In its early years, CNN lost money and was mocked as the Chicken Noodle Network. However, it eventually became known for covering live events worldwide as they happened, often ahead of the major networks. This Day, That Year 1926: American actress and model Marilyn Monroe was born. 1968: Helen Keller, the renowned writer and lecturer, passed away. 2001: Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal shot and killed nine members of the Nepalese royal family, including his parents, King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya, before injuring himself. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 2001: World Milk Day is celebrated worldwide after the United Nations declared it in 2001 to promote the importance of milk as a global food. 2009: An Air France flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris went into freefall and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 228 people on board.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Despite hawkish rhetoric, Punjab backed India-Pak ceasefire, peace efforts
Jalandhar: When the central govt and BJP appeared to be working hard to convince their support base about the ceasefire agreed upon by the govt, in Punjab — where the saffron party is a fourth player — the idea of a ceasefire was readily welcomed. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Unlike a few other states, where sentiment for war appeared strong, in Punjab, an atmosphere of apprehension about the fallout of escalation on the border was prevailing, and there were anti-war voices as well. Only a few spoke out unequivocally against war when escalation started fearing negative reactions, but the ceasefire was largely welcomed in the state. BJP has been finding it hard to boost its footprint in the only Sikh-majority state in the country, as the community has remained apprehensive of the saffron party. However, the unequivocal support for the Centre's decision to accept the ceasefire came from Sikh quarters. From the national parties, only Congress MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi was the first to speak out against war during the escalation. He gave a call to the people to oppose war. The Patiala MP took this stand, using strong adjectives in Punjabi, when Congress MP Manish Tewari strongly argued for an "endgame," India's planning for the permanent extinction of "this artificial state of play in existence since 1947, irrespective of the cost in terms of blood and treasure. " The Chandigarh-based Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, which had hosted Tewari before Lok Sabha polls, strongly criticised him for his "Hindutva hawkish approach." Former MP and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann, BKU (Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan, and his associates also strongly opposed escalation and war. Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj, on May 7, while condemning the killing of civilians in Poonch in shelling by Pakistan, said that the govts of both countries should make sincere efforts to restore peace. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On May 9, he led a group of Sikhs to perform ardas (prayer) at Takht Kesgarh Sahib for peace in South Asia, and then on May 10, he welcomed the ceasefire, just after it was announced, and said that the region needed peace and communal harmony. "People of Punjab stood with Indian armed forces firmly, although they suffered due to complete blackouts and debris of destroyed drones and missiles. The ceasefire has brought a big relief. People of Punjab now should force all political parties of Punjab to support the ceasefire, irrespective of the stand of their national leadership," argued senior advocate H S Phoolka in his post on X on May 11, when pro-ceasefire voices were still feeble. Leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa also welcomed the ceasefire. There were other voices in the Punjabi social media space who welcomed the Narendra Modi govt's decision to agree to the ceasefire. Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on May 13 praised the PM for his "statesmanlike conduct in accepting Pakistan's entreaty for a ceasefire following a decisive victory, which saved Punjab from destruction". He also said that Congress and AAP, who were questioning the ceasefire, were the real enemies of Punjab and the nation.
