Triple masters degree holder believes in sikhia & samanata

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 11

After retiring from the Excise and Taxation Department in 2008, Balkaur Singh of Apna Punjab Party fromthe  Ludhiana West constituency, has now decided to serve the masses. 

He has done Masters in three subjects - Punjabi, philosophy and sociology. A simple man, he does not believe in pasting posters/ banners, abd making announcements. He said: "I want to do heart-to-heart interaction with people. The youth in Punjab is deep into drugs, it is time to take them out from the menace. I believe in Sikhia (education), Sehat (health) and Samanata (equality). If we understand this, we will be successful in life."

Balkaur Singh wakes up early morning. He has a few supporters with them with whom he meets people in his constituency, which is not just posh in the entire district but full of educated people. Winning a seat from the constituency is not easy as he has to give a tough fight to sitting Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu and AAP candidate Ahbab Grewal. BJP is yet to declare its candidate, but the spirits of Balkaur Singh are high.

Balkaur Singh joined politics since he was unhappy with the system. "Farmers have contributed immensely in the Green Revolution but look at our system today. The farming community has become so helpless that they have started committing suicide due to financial burden. 

This kind of scenario is not good for the country," he said. He said there are reports of crime, abduction, scams, corruption all over the newspapers/ TV channels, which perturbs a lot. 

"I thought of joining politics to see if I could do something for the masses. We claim to have become globalised but our products in international markets hardly find buyers as compared to western brands. There is no safe environment for our daughters/sisters and we want to give them that safety. The poor should not sleep empty stomach. The elderly should be taken care of," he said.

Balkaur Singh wears lungi and chadra and he feels proud to be in Desi attire. "I am a Punjabi and this has been my dress for past several years. I like seeing people dressed up traditionally and those attached to their roots," he said. 

His wife is also educated (MA/BEd) and his only daughter is studying in Class 10.