Primarily, this is the reason for RSS and BJP leaders being highly critical of Sikhs, not only in India but across the globe, and painting them all with the same ‘Khalistani’ broad brush. The saffron ecosystem has virtually launched a campaign against Sikhs across the world and any Sikh daring to oppose or raise his voice against Narendra Modi is instantly tinted as Khalistani. It has been in public domain how India’s relation got strained with Canada on the issue of describing a Sikh as Khalistani.

Isolating Sikhs from the national mainstream is also evident in the government’s approach towards the farmers’ movement which was launched on February 13. RSS and BJP leaders have been using the word ‘Khalistani’ against the Sikh farmers to alienate them from rest of the country’s farmers and denigrate them in the eyes of the common Indians. The word is often used to identify a Sikh who is supposedly indulged in anti-India activities.

The delegation of the BJP leaders led by their senior turncoat Subhendu Adhikari had used this word against Special Superintendent of Police Jaspreet Singh in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal. The video of a Sikh IPS officer posted in West Bengal which went viral on social media on Tuesday exposes this machination of the BJP. Singh is posted as Special Superintendent of Police (SSP), Intelligence Branch (IB) at the Basirhat police station.

In the viral video, Singh is seen standing in the crowd and responding: “I will take action on this. Just because I am wearing a turban, you labelled me a Khalistani? You cannot say anything about my religion. Has anybody said anything about your religion? Then why did you comment on my religion?” Singh was seen telling Paul: “If any police personnel is wearing a turban, will he be assumed to be Khalistanis? I am not discussing your faith, don’t bring up mine either. How dare you label me a Khalistani! Is this your level?”

Really, it is a shame. A civilised and cultured Bengali would hang his head in shame at what Adhikari and Paul had said. Shockingly he did not feel remorse. On the contrary he twisted the fact and justified the despicable jibes hurled at Singh by saying; “The way this officer had behaved rudely, he was doing all these to get into the higher ranks with the help of Trinamool and Trinamool leader.” This is nothing but clear manifestation of the grotesque mindset of Subhendu, like his other RSS and BJP leaders.

In the video clip which got viral just after the incident, the IPS officer is seen telling a woman BJP leader “You people were insulting me describing me as Khalistani. How could you do that”. In this backdrop Adhikari’s clarification: “First of all I tell you that we don’t need to say anything like ‘Pakistani’, ‘Khalistani’ to anyone”, is purely a bundle of lies. But more than that his clarification is ominous in nature; what actually he meant to convey by saying; “we don’t need to say anything like ‘Pakistani’, ‘Khalistani’ to anyone”. Does not it make imperative that he believes the officer is Khalistani?

The saffron ecosystem has been resorting to all kind of technique to appropriate communities, whether it is Dalit, OBCs, EBCs, by insisting that they are simply Hindus. But it is only in the case of Sikhs they have not succeeded in their mission. Sikhs preserve distance from the Hindutva politics of RSS and BJP.

The issue which has shocked the intellectuals and academics of the state is the silence of the High Court on seeking clarification from Subhendu, who led the team, as o why such remark was made against the IPS officer. According to reports, division bench of the High Court presided by Chief Justice T S Shivgnanam on Tuesday had allowed Adhikari and another BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh to visit Sandeshkhali panchayat area.

The court had also directed the BJP leader to ensure that none of the supporters or people belonging to the party accompany them, except security personnel, who have been deployed for them. But it is learnt that there were many other people besides the Adhikari and Ghosh. People expect that court should seek to know why this offensive jibe was used against the IPS officer. People also nurse the feeling that Adhikari is using various court’s orders for political purpose.

Nevertheless, the use of the derogatory word has enraged the personnel of West Bengal Police. In a statement on X, they said: “We the West Bengal Police fraternity are outraged to share the video, where one of our own officers was called ‘Khalistani’ by the state’s Leader of Opposition. The comment is as much malicious and racial as it is communally inciting. It is a criminal act.”

The Sikhs across the country have raised their voice against this despicable design of the BJP leaders. President of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar, Harjinder Singh Dhami wrote on X: “The intentional character assassination of a Sikh IPS officer S. Jaspreet Singh by the BJP leaders in West Bengal is highly condemnable. Leaders who have such thinking in the country should never forget that Sikhs have made the most sacrifices for the freedom and protection of the country. Such people in the country deliberately create an atmosphere of hatred but the governments remain silent.”

This incident even reverberated in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa also said: “This is shameful beyond words. BJP workers in West Bengal are calling a Sikh IPS officer Khalistani just because he is doing his duty. Is this what BJP thinks about the Sikhs? A strong action should be taken against those trying to create this hooliganism and portraying Sikhs as Khalistanis.” The Jharkhand SGPC condemning this incident has written CM Mamata Banerjee to take legal action against the BJP leaders. BJP should apologise to the nation for calling a police officer ‘Khalistani’”.

Indeed, quite interesting to note that in another video which also went viral Adhikari is heard using reclusive words against some person and telling the people: “How Bengal’s rights and dignity have to be protected, we know. We don’t know how to bow our heads. We have always proven this.”

Little doubt, it is failure of the TMC leadership to restrain the criminals from dictating the politics that has been responsible for the worsening of the socio-political situation in the state. The major failure of Mamata has been to think of being indispensable. Though she claims to be an astute politician, she botched up and could not comprehend the situation.

It is a fact that RSS had used the Sandeshkhali region to foment anger amongst the people against Mamata and her government. The recent uproar of the women must not be perceived as sudden and impulsive reaction to felony of local strongman. It is not that Shahjahan’s move to turn Sandeskhali into his fiefdom had not come to her notice.

It is her arrogance that has been primarily responsible for creation of the situation. Her conceit has to be blamed for not taking lessons from BJP winning 77 seats, 73 more than its 2016 tally in 2021 assembly election and emerging as the potential force. True enough, ED’s raid at Shahjahan’s place should have awakened TMC leadership out of slumber. But it did not happen.

RSS has prepared the ground for Modi and Amit Shah to launch their vicious attack on Mamata Banerjee and her party. It was Nandigram which had played crucial role in damaging the reputation of CPI(M) and Left Front government and this time the role will be enacted by Sandeshkhali.

With the obedient media ready to serve the interest of saffron ecosystem, RSS has intensified its operation. The latest, liberation of the play ground from the control of Shahjahan and erasing his name from the wall of the ground sends a blaring warning for TMC that RSS is raring to strike. The state BJP’s move to arrange a meeting of the exploited women of Sandeshkhali with Modi during his March 5 meet is a shrewd move to make inroad in the region. (IPA Service)