Letter to BS: Covid-19 can't play Cupid for BJP and SAD in Punjab

This refers to the Chatterbox item “Crisis brings BJP-SAD closer” (April 26). It is very common in Punjab where langars (community meals) are organised by charitable organisations and individuals during religious festivals and natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes. But they not seek any sort of help or donation, at least from the government. It is another matter that they accept contributions from citizens in cash or kind.

It is to be noted that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance has often come under strain. A section of the local unit of the BJP wants to fight elections alone or in alliance with some other party. Now with the BJP calling the shots across the country, the Punjab unit no longer wants to be seen piggybacking on the SAD. It is this political scenario which seems to have forced the SAD to ask the NDA government to give ration through the public distribution system to the SGPC-run gurdwaras. The Prime Minister may have agreed to this request given the sensitivity of the prevailing situation, but the SAD needs to know that one swallow does not make a summer. Worse still, the treacherous Covid-19 cannot play the Cupid.

Tarsem Singh  Hoshiarpur

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