Jat dominance in BJP irks SC ground-workers

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, June 2

In the face of protests by farmer unions, which are dominated by Jats, the BJP turned its focus to Mazhabi Sikhs during the Lok Sabha elections, relying heavily on them for support. However, there is a feeling in the Mazhabi Sikh community that they are not getting fair representation in the BJP’s organisational set-up.

The SC community footsoldiers in the BJP are upset that they are being used as “crowds” while upper-castes dominate when it comes to key positions in the organisation. Even in Khadoor Sahib constituency, though the ticket was handed to a Mazhabi Sikh candidate, Manjit Singh Manna, the top office-bearers were Jats, they complain.

BJP’s Mazhabi Sikh activists in Pahuwind village of Khemkaran Assembly segment have alleged that the Jat leadership in the district is not letting them get into positions of prominence within the party.

BJP activist Nirvair Singh says that he was not provided stationery and other items by the party leadership to set up the party’s polling stall at Pahuwind village. “BJP district president Harjit Singh Sandhu, Naresh Sharma and Anoop Singh Bhullar are office-bearers,” said Nirvair Singh.

“I motivated our community members to set up booths in five villages around Pahuwind, but the party leaders did not issue kits for booths to me. In the Majha region, Jats are dominant in the BJP. They are using us (Mazhabis) to rise in their political careers. They want us to stay backward and not come forward to raise the issue of poor labourers. They show us as a ‘crowd’ (in rallies) to establish themselves as leaders. But no one wants Jats to lead them — we form governments, not they,” he added. Even those who have traditionally been supporting the BJP feel that there is no real change in the set-up, and that Jats are still dominating the other castes in the party, even though the BJP is no longer in alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal, a Jat-dominant party.

From Sunil Jakhar to Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Rana Sodhi to Preneet Kaur, Parampal Kaur Sidhu, to Ravneet Bittu, it were Jats or upper caste leaders who had prominent roles to play for the BJP during the elections. In four of the 10 general category seats, the BJP fielded Jats.

Lower caste BJP workers are resentful that during the farmer agitation in 2020-21, it was the party’s non-Jat leaders who faced humiliation and aggressive behaviour meted out by the farmer unions — such was the aggression they faced that Abohar MLA Arun Narang’s clothes were torn off by farmers.

During the elections, facing pressure from the farmer community, not only the agrarian castes, but even Khatri, Brahmin and Baniya community member in the “mandis” (rural towns) did not openly support the BJP. It fell, thus, to Mazhabi Sikhs to set up polling booths in villages. Yet, as Nirvair Singh said, they have been treated like space-fillers at rallies, causing resentment in their ranks.

In the Majha region, Jats are dominant in the BJP. They are using us (Mazhabis) to rise in their political careers. They want us to stay backward. — Nirvair Singh, BJP activist