Suspended AAP MP Dr. Dharamvir Gandhi launches move for ‘Punjab Oriented Political Platform’

Chandigarh: Suspended Aam Aadmi Party leader and Patiala MP Dr. Dharamvir Gandhi today launched a move to form ‘Punjab Oriented Political Platform’. Addressing a press conference Dr. Dharamvir Gandhi claimed that he had support of many social, political groups, activists, authors, intellectuals and NGOs. He said that Democratic Swaraj Party Punjab, Apna Punjab Party, Aam Aadmi Party Volunteers Front Punjab and Jai Jawan Jai Kisan party have agreed to join this “pro-Punjab” front and said that all “pro-federal structure” forces were welcome to join the front.

He said that the name of the platform was not decided yet. He was addressing media-persons during a press conference at Chandigarh Press Club at sector 27.

Full Video of Press Conference:

India is a multi-national country: Sikhs are a religion, not nation:

Dr. Dharamvir Gandhi said that Indian subcontinent was a multi-national, multi-civic, multi-lingual and multi-cultural country and maintained that Indian parliament itself symbolises this diverse character of the peninsula.

In response to a question posed by a senior journalist that whether their front would recognise Sikhs as a distinct nation, Dr. Gandhi said that “Punjab was a nation” not the Sikhs. Referring to the Sikh religion, he said that Sikhs have a distinct religious identity and religion can not be basis of a nation. He claimed that nation includes people of many religions, having one language, culture and history.

He said that he has move a bill seeking seperate ‘personal law’ for the Sikhs and amendment of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution that clubs Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists with Hindus and Hindu religion.

Not left AAP, nor joined any other party: Dared Kejriwal to expel him:

Dr. Gandhi who had won Lok Sabha election from Patiala said that he was technically still a member of the Aam Aadmi Party as AAP’s central leadership has merely suspended him. He said that he has already asked the central leadership to either withdraw the suspension or expel him from the party.

Avoids directs answers to queries on Navjot Sidhu, Jagmeet Brar.

On being asked by the journalists whether he would invite former BJP MP Navjot Sidhu, his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, and former Congress leader Jagmeet Brar to join their front, Dr. Gandhi avoided any direct answers. He said that anyone who is for Punjab and federal structure was welcome to join.

On being asked about expelled AAP leader Jassi Jasraj, Dr. Gandhi said that Jassi Jasraj has confirmed that he would join this front.

AAP is no different than Centre-centric parties:

Dr. Gandhi said that the Aam Aadmi Party which had emerged as a hope for viable alternative of Centre-centric parties was not different from those parties now.

“Congress and BJP are anti-federal system political forces. Akali Dal, which used to talk about the federal structure has surrendered before the BJP. AAP is no different from Congress, BJP or SAD (Badal) in this regard” he said.

Panthic groups, which does not support the idea of “theocratic seperate state” are welcome:

Front leader said that Sikh/ Panthic groups that are concerned about the panthic issues, but does not support the idea of “theocratic seperate state” were also welcome to join the front.

Would expel Arvind Kejriwal with in a minute, had it been in my preview:

Dr. Gandhi said that had it been under his preview, he would have not taken a minute to expel Arvind Kejriwal with from Aam Aadmi Party.

AAP has introduced “Subedari” system: Punjab leaders being humiliated:

Suspended AAP MP said that the Aam Aadmi Party have introduced “Subedari” system and Delhi leadership was controlling Punjab unit through their “Subedars”. He named Sanjay Singh, Ashish Khetan, Durgesh Pathak and Jarnail Singh as AAP Delhi appointed Subedars for Punjab.

He said that Punjab leadership of the AAP, including Sucha Singh Chhotepur, Kanwar Sandhu and Sukhpal Khaira were being humiliated by Delhi leadership of AAP.

Harinder Singh Khalsa was absent:

Aam Aadmi Party’s suspended MP Harinder Singh Khalsa was not present during press conference by Dr. Dhramvira Gandhi. Notably Harinder Singh Khalsa and Dharamvir Gandhi were suspended from the Aam Aadmi Party for holding a parallel conference at Baba Bakala last year.

To contest Punjab Polls 2017:

He said that the front would contest the upcoming Punjab state assembly elections in 2017.

A press note issued by Dr. Gandhi on this occasion reads as follows:

Press Note

Chandigarh 23-9-2016

In response to the call given by Dr Dharamvira Gandhi Member Parliament from Patiala for floating a Punjab centric political outfit based on the principle of “Political Federalism” a large number of individuals and many political parties / activist groups have joined hands to liberate Punjab from the clutches of political parties with “high command culture”.

The people of Punjab are ready for a radical departure from the past political practice but the leaders of the parties are failing them as the interest of Punjab has been compromised when political bosses of national parties twist the arm of their Punjab unit leaders. We have received innumerable calls from the Punjabis, as also from the NRIs, who are anxiously waiting for the formation of a new ‘Punjab Oriented Political Platform’.

Dr. Gandhi squarely blaming the Akali-BJP Government for the present day tragic position of Punjab, said that, “people of Punjab expressed their faith in Shromani Akali Dal in the belief that it will bring us prosperity and bright future, but this regional party reneged on the interest and future of Punjab. It connived to keep backwardness of Punjab Social fabric keeping old backward traditions in place, undertook distinction of peasant economy, trade and business and pushed the future of younger generations into darkness. In addition to pushing farmers into a luscious circle of debt crisis, it connived to demolish and destroy the Sikh institutions to render them rudderless. In fact in its greed for more and more capital and status among rulers it gave up the struggle for Federal Punjabis and made it a priority to be in integral part of Indian Capital and impose top-down centralized rule on Punjab and rendered

Punjab and Punjabis leaderless and orphans. For the welfare, prosperity and democratic culture for the people of this region the need for an alternative has arisen”.

Such a regional alternative can represent the interests and wishes of the people of Punjab because various National Political Parties have failed to protect or represent the interests of people of Punjab during last 70 years and instead have been instrumental in dividing the people of Punjab down to the village level, loot resources of Punjab and lead Punjab into submission. The track record of both BJP and Congress proves it. The newly formed Aam Admi Party

generated a hope that it will ameliorate the condition of Punjab people and give a vent to their pent up feelings and they expressed their approval in Parliamentary elections but that too seems a mirage now.

The interests of Punjab have always been compromised when the parties in Punjab come to power that are either part of the ruling party at the Centre or are in league with them to serve narrow interests at the cost of interests of the state. The issues, such as, river water sharing with the neighbouring states and transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab could never be settled in the interest of Punjab for want of political autonomy to the ruling party in the decision making since their central leadership always dictated decisions to their Punjab counterparts. The implementation of GST and now appointing central officers in the states to Monitor the implementation of the centrally funded schemes are nothing but a fresh attack on the governance autonomy of the states. Governance Autonomy of

Punjab will always be compromised in future also if the parties whose umbilical chords are attached to their central units come to power as the central will directly or indirectly interfere in day to day Governance by Future Governments of Punjab.

We the like minded leaders and political parties unite to provide Governance Freedom, on the principle of ‘Political Federalism leading to Governance Federalism’, to the future Government of Punjab which will be installed by people of Punjab after 2017 assembly elections. Our endeavor in 2017 election will be to provide a Government in Punjab which will be — Government by the Punjabis, of the Punjabis and for the Punjabis and our Punjab. A government dedicated to the principles of democracy, diversity, secularism and federalism. We issue a joint appeal to all Punjabis to defeat the design of all such political parties both old & new who want to install Government in 2017 which may be run in proxy by their handlers sitting in Delhi. We the Punjabis have experienced this enough even before the coming elections in the functioning of political parties who run their affair undemocratically from Delhi by sending their Subedars in Punjab. If Punjabis don’t have say in the running of these parties how can we be

sure that governments of these parties will be run from and for Punjab.

We have pledged to-gather to provide Punjabis a political outfit which will solely belong to Punjabis and its government will be run from Punjab and by Punjabis.