Wadala Johal never witnessed clash during poll

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 4

In an exception, there is negligible revelry between activists representing various political parties at Wadala Johal village in the Jandiala constituency. Activists of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were seen accommodating their supporters at one place in the village. Generally, activists of several parties set up their camps away from each other to avoid any clash or untoward incident.

Contrary to general perception that political parties create differences between people, residents of Wadala Johal have no visible divide.

The activists of the Congress and the SAD were seen discussing the probable poll results by sitting close to each other and sharing tea and food.

Residents claimed that no clash was reported in the electoral history of the village. The activists of AAP, the Congress and the SAD were on good terms and showing courtesy to each other.

The party workers, who were accommodating their supporters while sitting in their camps, were also interacting with each other.

Harpreet Singh Johal, a resident, said: “The elections are always peaceful in our village. Though people follow different political ideologies and discuss political issues, they never enter into any clash as happens in other villages. Workers of all parties show true sportsmanship by discussing problems of the village as well as the area and find amicable solutions to the issues.”

“We all are brothers first. The elections are only a few-week affair. People are smart enough as they did not break their generation-old relationships for poll-related issues. We are working for our party and candidate. We have right to criticise each other and argue on issues but it should not harm our social fabric,” said Dilbag Singh, a former sarpanch.