Migrant Muscle In Amritsar

[palamrinder]

With shifting demographies in punjab, the voter banks is fast moving from SIKH politics to Punjabi politics. No wonder the likes of badal are hiring more biharis as SAD workers.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070118/punjab1.htm#8

Migrant muscle in Amritsar

Varinder Walia

Tribune News Service

Migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are considered an important vote bank in the border district of Amritsar. Some villages in Amritsar have entire panchayats comprising Bihari migrants. They have made Punjab their 'first home' .

The sarpanches of Karnala, Dayalpur , Patalpuri, Kharaswala and Galowali are of Bihari origin. They speak chaste Punjabi and their children can write in the Gurmukhi script. These villages fall in the Majitha Assembly constituency .

The votes of these villages, where all sarpanches are of Bihari origin, are crucial. Politicians are making a beeline to these villages for votes.

They rule the roost in cluster of villages in the Majha heartland, which are frequently visited by senior leaders of various political parties, including Mr Parkash Singh Badal, president, Shiromani Akali Dal, and even the current Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh.

The labour from Bihar was brought by the British to lay the railway track and build the Kathunangal canal. Most of the labourers decided to settle in Punjab. “We have settled permanently in Punjab. We are here for the past five generations," says Mr Ramesh Lal.

The decade-old militancy had no effect on this new generation of ‘proud Punjabis.’ Today, they are proud owners of big houses as well as modern facilities, including tractors and motorised fodder cutters.

Their forefathers had come to Punjab penniless, but with hard work, they became prosperous. Now their villages have scooters, sleek motor bikes and tractor-trailers," says a Bihari sarpanch.

The migrants have made themselves indispensable as they are willing to work on jobs commonly considered " demeaning".

Most of the migrants are voters and are in a position to tilt the balance in almost all Assembly constituencies. They are mainly concentrated in Verka (28,000 votes), Amritsar South (14,000 votes), Amritsar North (about 10,000 votes) and Chheharta (approximately 12,000 votes).

Colonies in Amritsar where the migrants dominate are Nehru Nagar, Sandhu Colony, Parkash Vihar, Mustafabad, Indira Colony, Kundewala Khuh and Jawahar Nagar. Thses migrants mostly work in processing units and embroidery shops.

The state president of the Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Parishad, Mr R.C. Yadav, claims that many migrants have obsorbed the Punjabi culture. Some of them are granthis in the SGPC-controlled gurdwaras. Many have married into Punjabi families.

Even when gun-wielding militants ruled the area, not a single case of migration was reported from the Tapprian cluster comprising six villages. Now, more than 15,000 migrant labourers, who have converted this interior of Majha into a mini Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, are likely to play a key role during the elections.

[hps62]

This is the true spirit of Sikhi

we are children of one God

" Nanak Nam chadi kala tere bane sarvat tha bhalla "

love

hps

[Guest DKI]

With shifting demographies in punjab, the voter banks is fast moving from SIKH politics to Punjabi politics. No wonder the likes of badal are hiring more biharis as SAD workers.

Well nothing has changed since 'Punjabi politics' has always prevailed over 'Sikh politics' in the legislative assembly elections since India's 'independence'.

[Akhoza]

Are these biharis Sikh?

[Guest DKI]

No. They're mostly a mixture of Hindus and Muslims. Very few Biharis in Punjab have become legit Sikhs. Some Biharis have been known to take up Punjabi names in order to better their chances of getting jobs.

[LifeIsBeautiful]

The thing with Bhiaris and Bhaiyais in general, they brought a lot of drugs into punjab, but I'll say this without bhaiyais, punjab wouldn't be as successful as it is in farming.

Overall, I think Sikhs in Punjab need to watch out as we will soon become a minority if we dont check bhaiyasi coming into Punjab. 100% of Bhaiyais can come to Punjab without any criminal check, and buy land - if you look at the tribune from previous years, you'll see articles where bhaiyas beat up their owners, or kidnapped people.