Voice from the grassroots on maiden electoral outing

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 14

When it comes to taking up a cause, he has been known for his relentlessness.

AAP’s candidate from the Kartarpur constituency Chandan Grewal has banked on his long career as a safai sewak and as a steadfast leader fighting for their rights for his maiden electoral outing.

While he has been the president of the Punjab Safai Mazdoor Federation, his identity as an employee leader has earned him a robust image of a person who holds sway over the people he claims to stand for and be answerable for.

While his importance for the electorate and as a leader can be gauged from the fact that senior Punjab leaders across the political spectrum, ranging from Rajinder Kaur Bhattal to Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, have often called on him in the past both in the need of civil (MC-related issues) and political support; for the upcoming 2017 elections, however, it’s the Aam Admi Party which has chosen him to be fielded from the Kartarpur reserved constituency.

Belonging to the Valmiki community, Grewal says the spectrum of the issues he stands for and is willing to address has been considerably widened with his candidature. Quitting his studies in class XI, after his father’s demise, he started off as a safai karmchari, then worked as a sanitary supervisor and retired eventually as a sanitary inspector right before his ticket allocation.

While his candidature initially witnessed a rebellion with dissidents and aspirants sitting on a dharna outside the AAP office in Jalandhar against his candidature, eventually the disagreements have been ironed out.

In Kartarpur, he is up against Seth Satpal Mal from the Akali Dal, Surinder Chaudhary from the Congress and former journalist Balwinder Kumar who is the BSP candidate.

“Safai karmcharis have been one of the most ignored sections of society and the political discourse in Punjab has often ignored them and continue to do so. Neither the Shiromani Akali Dal nor the Congress, ever bothered to wipe their tears as they continue to battle stigma and in the twilight of their lives, they face diseases. The governments so far have been deaf to their problems,” Grewal said.

“With the candidature, the range of issues I address as public leader has only widened. There is rampant unemployment, civic amenities elude the general public and even a basic need like water isn’t fulfilled. All sections of society — across all communities — are troubled due to the government’s apathy. My prime aim would be addressing these issues which hound the electorate,” Grewal added.

“It is clear that the people of the area haven’t seen much work in the past five years. While crores are spent on memorials, is it not possible to set up an industry or a unit to ensure employment? People don’t have jobs, various areas overflow with sewage wastes. Kartarpur is a holy town, while it should have heritage status, it battles civic disregard,” he adds.

While Grewal starts off his day between 7.30 am and 8 am campaigning in the constituency, he says that he has traversed many of the villages and areas of his constituency already and plans to reach out to the few areas left soon.

In the past he was known for his heavy handed tactics. On his call, safai karmcharis in the city parked their vehicles outside a college, causing a jam when students were reportedly denied post-matric scholarships. During his campaign, he reaches out to his electorate on a personal level. He says people open up, especially on the ameneties being denied to them for ages.

In his family, his wife Suman and sons Hitesh Grewal (pursuing civil engineering) and Pushp Grewal (in class XII) steadfastly back his campaign as he ventures out to the 216 villages in Kartarpur.

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Party: AAP

Constituency: Kartarpur (SC)

Prime focus: Unemployment, restoring water supply in many areas which don’t have it, sewerage, removal of sewage ponds

Voters: 1, 70,000 voters

Education: Class XI