With the Punjab Vidhan Sabha unanimously passing a resolution seeking the Bharat Ratna for Kanshi Ram, and different parties with their leaders including Bhagwant Mann and Partap Singh Bajwa trying to claim credit for raising the demand first, the politics around honouring icons of social justice has once again taken centre stage. When multiple parties suddenly compete to claim credit for honouring leaders like Kanshi Ram, does the push reflect genuine respect for his legacy, or a carefully timed political effort to woo Dalit voters ahead of future elections ?
पंजाब विधानसभा द्वारा कांशीराम को भारत रत्न देने की मांग वाला प्रस्ताव सर्वसम्मति से पारित किए जाने के बाद, और भगवंत मान व प्रताप सिंह बाजवा समेत अलग-अलग दलों द्वारा इसका श्रेय लेने की कोशिश के बीच, सामाजिक न्याय के प्रतीकों को सम्मान देने की राजनीति फिर से केंद्र में आ गई है। जब कई पार्टियाँ अचानक ऐसे नेताओं को सम्मान देने का श्रेय लेने की होड़ में दिखती हैं, तो क्या यह उनके योगदान के प्रति सच्चा सम्मान है या फिर आने वाले चुनावों से पहले दलित मतदाताओं को साधने की रणनीति ?
The appointment of Taranjit Singh Sandhu as Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor by Narendra Modi, replacing Vinai Kumar Saxena, has drawn attention not only for the administrative reshuffle but also for its strong Punjab and Sikh symbolism. With Sandhu describing his elevation as “Punjab has come to Delhi”, invoking the legacy of his grandfather Teja Singh Samundri, and the ceremony witnessing an unusually large presence of Sikh leaders and Punjab figures, the move has sparked political discussion. Coming at a time when the BJP has already begun mobilizing for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, does this appointment also reflect a carefully timed political signal aimed at strengthening the party’s outreach among Sikh voters and Punjab’s political landscape ?
