Comments by "Sankalp" (@sankalp6872) on "How and why is Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh keeping Punjab on edge?- ThePrint Political Adda" video.

  1. Arvind Kejriwal portrays himself as Anil Kapoor from Nayak, but in reality, he is Amrish Puri from the film. His inaction reminds me of the bus burning scene where CM Amrish Puri refused to act, fearing backlash from one community which Amrish Puri described as one leg of his four-leg CM chair. "Sab Jal ne do"
    76
  2. DISAPPOINTING. Only a few audience questions were taken up (and for the ones taken up, people weren't given due credit). The implosion of SAD, Christian conversions and migration were not even taken up. Only Prof. Manjit Singh offered some analysis. Why is DK doing the hosting? Should have given the hosting part to Neelam, and DK should have been on the panel.
    27
  3. Majority of their old territory is in Pakistan.
    25
  4. Even during the original insurgency, the demand for Khalistan was lukewarm at best. It was the result of INC's anti-Akali plot that went haywire. Bhindranwale was known to be short-tempered and, by all accounts, was genuinely devoted to the Sikh religion. Such people can never become puppets (esp of ISI), and he was too smart to be manipulated. Today's situation is very different. Firstly, it doesn't look like New Delhi is playing games here. BJP will not engineer a direct or puppet regime in Punjab. It will be a direct national security threat. Modi isn't foolish (esp after the farm law fiasco). Secondly, the Sikh identity appears to be under heavy strain. Migration and religious conversions are weakening the traditional Sikh control. The state's only Sikh party has been decimated. These things point to a bleak future.
    19
  5. Don't rule out FRAUD.
    6
  6.  @RohitGupta-nu7nn  Kuldeep Nayar's "Beyond the Lines" has also documented it. However, the context matters. You are talking about events pre-1978. Yes, INC had a hand in funding him (admitted by Kamal Nath himself). Post-1978, Bhindranwale was his own man. Several parties were working at cross or loosely aligned purposes at the time. The idea of Khalistan itself was a greatly exaggerated myth. There was internal politics too. Every time identity is threatened, we will see such figures rise. Indira Gandhi's politics may have led to Bhindranwale's rise but do not ridicule his success among the masses by reducing him to a puppet figure.
    6
  7. Amritpal does not need RSS or anyone to build him. Punjab has been boiling pot for years now. The Christian conversions are similar to the original Nirankari-Sikh that led to the insurgency era. SAD is at its weakest today. Bhindranwale was not an Indira creation. He emerged out of the 1978 Nirankari-Sikh clash. Indira Gandhi's mad desire to weaken the Akalis led to Khalistan. Bhindranwale benefitted from the many errors of the then-Indian Govt, but the patronage angle is greatly exaggerated.
    4
  8. Not wrong, just incomplete. You got the basic "AB" but missed the "C" and "D". C being conversions and D being drugs. Both have become real menace now and are feeding off each other. SAD got decimated in 2017 on the back of vicious "Udta Punjab" propaganda. Badal family member Manjitia himself was at the center of all attacks. He later filed defamation suits and even won against major publication houses that recklessly sullied his image. Nevertheless, the damage was already done. SAD lost its credibility and people's trust. The Amarinder Govt came in on the promise of making Punjab drug-free in 4 weeks. This was in 2017 and 3 CMs and 1 election later, the problem still persists. Meanwhile, the Conversion activities continued expanding and seeking destitute, Dalit, drug-troubled families feeding them hopes, EU/Canada visa promises, drug de-addiction miracles, and even literally rice bags. Punjab was never the most educated state. Superstition was always there, but the extent of the Dalit-Jat divide somehow got overlooked. The state became a victim of its own success. Jat Sikhs did not share the fruits of success with Dalits. Many are moving away from Hindu-Sikh folds. The Gurudwara Jathedars continue sleeping. Most of the Sikhs simply don't care as they are focussed on settling abroad (same as Hindus of Andhra), leaving the state behind for Evangelists. Agriculture isn't what it used to be. Productivity has peaked, land holdings have become smaller, the population is mainly skill-less, and most of the agriculture is done by laborers from UP-Bihar, leaving the state's affluent youth with a lot of free time. As the saying goes, "an idle mind is the devil's workshop". Drugs, alcohol, and Canadian dreams are spoiling the youth. People are aware of the problems. Change is the buzzword. SAD-INC did nothing to change the status quo hence people opted for a newbie like AAP. Yet, despite ridiculous promises, the ultimate delivery has been nothing. The state needs a complete overhaul. Farm laws were actually a step in a positive direction; we all know how that went. Real sad state of affairs. Amritpal's quick rise tells you the extent of disenchantment that the people have with mainstream parties. The implosion of SAD and INC has frustrated the masses. It's been a total collapse of politics and governance. The state itself has become lethargic and offers little hope of redemption.
    1