Punjab Congress slams BJP for neglecting Sikh issues ahead of Tarn Taran byelection

With the Election Commission announcing the Tarn Taran byelection on November 11, the Punjab Congress leadership on Monday intensified its attack on the BJP-led Centre for not addressing core Sikh issues, including Bandhi Sikhs. Referring to the hardliner factor in the bypoll, Raja Warring said the hardliners, particularly Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) led by Kahdoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, stood exposed. At the same time, Warring alleged that SAD candidate Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa promoted gangster culture. Claiming the SAD candidate was related to gangsters, the MP from Ludhiana said voters would have to decide between secular parties on one hand and hardliners or gangsters on the other.

Joining the issue, Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh blamed the BJP-led Centre for not addressing core Sikh issues, including Bandhi Sikhs. “The saffron party wants to keep the pot boiling as part of its divisive politics,” he said.

Regarding the hardliner factor in the upcoming byelection to the Tarn Taran Assembly segment, Rana Gurjeet Singh said the Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) led by Kahdoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh couldn’t be ignored, although the hardliners stood exposed. His remarks came after reports of the Sikh Youth Federation (Bhindranwala) persuading Patiala jail murder accused Sandip Singh alias Sunny to contest the bypoll. Sunny is in jail for the 2022 murder of Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader Sudhir Suri and was recently accused of the September 10 killing of a fellow inmate in Patiala Central Jail, former inspector Suba Singh.

On the other hand, the Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) was trying to persuade Paramjit Kaur Khalra, widow of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. Rana Gurjeet Singh further claimed, “With the intention to polarise votes, BJP is prodding hardliners. This would be exposed in the byelection and the 2027 Assembly election.” He asserted that the Congress was on a sound footing, with senior party leader Sukhbinder Sukh Sarkaria having been made the election in-charge.

Warring said Dharambir Agnihotri had been the Congress MLA from Tarn Taran. After the death of Agnihotri, who had won from the seat in 2017, AAP candidate Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal won the seat in 2022. However, the byelection has been necessitated following the death of Sohal.

A senior leader said that after directives from the party high command for putting up a united face, it would be a litmus test for the Majha leaders — especially because Sarkaria has been made the election in-charge.