Caste politics to fore in byelection

Vishal Joshi
Tribune News Service
Jind, January 18

As electioneering is gaining momentum, caste-based statements by political and community leaders to woo voters have been noticed for the Jind Assembly segment.

On Wednesday, the Akhil Bhartiya Jat Maha Sabha chief Hawa Singh Sangwan called Punjabi-speaking community in the state “Pakistanis”.

Interacting with reporters here, Sangwan had said local residents should not vote for Punjabi candidates as they were not Haryanavis.

Though he did not name anyone, his indication was apparently at the BJP candidate Krishan Middha, a key contestant among three Jat candidates.

Similarly, former Independent MLA from Rohat segment in Sonepat, Sukhbir Singh Farmana had reportedly made unsavoury comments about the Punjabi community.

Farmana, who is also active in khap panchayat, was addressing an election rally at Taloda village on Wednesday. The village-level meeting was organised in support of the Congress candidate Randeep Surjewala.

However, Surjewala has disassociated himself from the alleged comments, saying Farmana was not a member of the Congress party. He said the party did not endorse caste-based politics.

But political analysts said various contestants and their supporters were trying to win over voters by touching the caste factor.

He said caste politics may impact social fabric, particularly after large-scale violence during the Jat reservation movement, but it was an electoral tradition in Haryana.

‘Unsavoury’ comments

The Akhil Bhartiya Jat Maha Sabha chief Hawa Singh Sangwan, had on Wednesday, called Punjabi-speaking community in the state “Pakistanis”. He further said local residents should not vote for Punjabi candidates as they were not Haryanvis.