Is ‘panthic’ politics returning to Punjab ahead of polls?

Three recent events in Punjab this week have reignited discussions about politics tied to religion, past violence, and the issue of Sikh prisoners. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reached out to Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to request a 10-day parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara, a man convicted in the 1995 murder of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh.

This move was made on humanitarian grounds, allowing Hawara to meet his ailing mother. Hawara, whose death sentence was reduced to life imprisonment in 2010, has been in prison for 31 years. Surprisingly, BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu, Beant Singh's grandson and a critic of leniency towards convicts, also supported the parole request "on humanitarian grounds."

The second development was more politically motivated. The Shiromani Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), led by jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, announced Satwant Singh, the son of Kehar Singh who was hanged for Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1989, as its first candidate for the 2027 Assembly elections. Satwant Singh will face Amrit Kaur Maloya, Beant Singh's daughter and an independent candidate, in Bassi Pathana.

This has sparked speculation about a "qurbani vs qurbani" contest. Lastly, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal faced an attack at a gurdwara in Maharashtra’s Nanded, days after he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This incident occurred after Badal's meeting, leading to speculation about a potential reconciliation between former allies.

These developments have sparked speculation about a resurgence of hardline or "panthic" politics in Punjab. However, it is unclear whether political parties are capitalizing on the panthic space due to an electoral opportunity. The politics of parole is an interesting turn for the Aam Aadmi Party, which came to power in 2022 on a development platform.

The politics surrounding Sikh prisoners has a longer history, with the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha keeping the 'Bandi Singhs' issue in the spotlight for over three years through their protest at the Chandigarh-Mohali border. The BJP has taken a cautious stance on the Bandi Singhs, arguing that their release should be decided by the respective state governments.

Punjab's electoral history shows that the state has rarely voted based on explicitly religious grounds, with three Congress governments elected despite the legacy of Operation Blue Star and the 1984 anti-Sikh violence. The Congress party is currently divided, while the Akali Dal struggles to regain lost ground. The Waris Punjab De party, on the other hand, is gaining traction among young voters by addressing long-standing issues such as river waters and prisoner rehabilitation. However, this could potentially detract from addressing the concerns of actual voters.