*THE SHIROMANI AKALI DAL (SAD) AGE OLD POLITICAL TACTIC
OF RAKING UP FEARS OF 'SIKH PANTH IN DANGER' AMONG THE SIKHS DOES NOT YIELD POLITICAL DIVIDEND NOW*
*BJP RELUCTANT TO HELP AKALIS ON HSGPC ISSUE*
*THE SAD IS IN A WEAK MORAL POSITION ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE ITS AGE OLD POLITICAL TACTIC OF RAKING UP FEARS OF 'SIKH PANTH IN DANGER' AMONG THE SIKHS DOES NOT YIELD MUCH POLITICAL DIVIDEND: A SECTION OF THE PUNJAB BJP ALSO FEELS.*
*Lok Sabha elections:*
*1.      **In the Lok Sabha elections the SAD allied with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) led by Om Prakash Chautala and together the two parties opposed the BJP candidates.*
*2.      **The BJP view, articulated by sources is that though the SAD is an ally in Punjab, but the party is not bound to stand by it in Haryana. "Besides, why should we support them on this issue when it is clear that they will continue to use Haryana's gurdwaras as platforms of political mobilisation against us and in favour of the INLD in the Assembly elections?" said a BJP leader.*
*3.      **Meanwhile, BJP's national spokesperson Capt. Abhimanyu Singh, widely projected as the party's chief ministerial candidate from Haryana, told The Hindu: "As far as the aspirations of Haryana's Sikhs are concerned, their concern regarding mishandling of contributions collected from the sangat in their gurdwaras appears to be understandable.*
*4.      **But we as a party do not believe in interfering in the internal affairs of any community, religion or sect. It is up to the members of the Sikh community to resolve their disputes."*
*5.      **The lukewarm response of the Modi Government to Mr. Badal's remonstrations is a setback for the SAD, which is why the party has declared its intention to go into agitation mode - a sure recipe for violent clashes and disturbance of law and order in the region. Already prominent voices in Punjab have expressed fears over escalation of religious tensions and its fallout.*
*CHANDER SUTA DOGRA*
*Updated: July 22, 2014 01:29 IST*
*Courtesy by THE HINDU*
*The extract by*
*Balbir Singh Sooch-Sikh Vichar Manch*